Just Breathe
by MoustachioPenguin
Summary: Kise's injury is more severe than anyone had imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time.
1. Chapter 1

_**Title:** Just Breathe_ (1/?)  
_**Rating:** T  
**Pairings: **Eventual Aokise_  
_**Warnings:** Unbeta'd_  
_**Word Count:** 2580_  
_**Summary:** Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined._  
_**A/N:** Spoilers for the Kaijō match against Fukuda Sōgō_

* * *

**Just Breathe**

Breathe, he just needs to remember to breathe and he'll be fine. Even, steady breaths. If he tries hard enough to focus on the sound of rushing air and the feel of his lungs expanding, everything else will fade away. Just breathe—in, out… in, out. Water slides down the side of his face, tickling his heated skin before it catches at his jaw bone and travels down the sharp line to his chin. It drips; the splash sounds loud despite the focus he places on simple intakes and exhales of air. His vision is blurred, but remains steadfastly on his left leg. 'Just breathe,' he reminds himself, 'breathe.'

The locker room is lively because of their win against Fukuda Sōgō; his teammates whip each other with wet towels as they exit the showers to dress. While they all hoot and holler, making plans for celebration, he breathes as steadily as his trembling body will allow; when he blinks, his vision doesn't clear. His left leg jolts and his breathing hitches. 'Breathe,' he tells himself, 'breathe, breathe, just breathe.' He closes his eyes and inhales deeply through his nose; when he exhales, it's with a wheeze.

A towel is dropped on top of his head, startling him from the trance he was putting himself in to. Through his wet bangs he sees Kasamatsu smiling fondly down at him. Guilt settles in the pit of his stomach—he can only offer Kasamatsu a practiced smile that his senpai can find in magazines.

"You run even on your off days, eh?" Kasamatsu teases.

As much as he wants to joke with his senpai and bask in the afterglow of a well-earned victory, he's too tired. It takes all of his energy to keep his breathing even. When Kasamatsu begins rubbing his hair dry with the towel, he can't help but to close his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Kasamatsu asks; in response he's only able to nod tiredly. It's obvious that he's not, but hopefully Kasamatsu will realize that this injury isn't something he wants to focus on—because it's not important.

"It's alright if you aren't." Kasamatsu tries quietly, sending a sidelong glance at their fellow teammates as they begin leaving the locker room; he isn't sure why they aren't coming to check on the blonde in front of him.

"I am. I'm alright."

Breathe.

"But if you aren't… it's okay, Kise." Kasamatsu says softly, rubbing at Kise's blond hair a little more gently than before. A lingering _I know you aren't, and that's fine_ is left unspoken, but Kise chooses to ignore the words his senpai wants to but dares not say. "You've made me—_us_ proud; you really are amazing."

Despite himself, Kise finds a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips. He looks up at Kasamatsu, appearing every bit the sixteen year old boy he is with his lopsided smile and squinted eyes; it catches Kasamatsu off guard, but the dark haired teen finds he smiles in turn.

"I'll make you proud in the next match too; I won't let anyone down." Kise says, his voice breaking half way through his statement.

Although Kasamatsu knows he should smile fondly down at his kōhai or praise him or _something_, he finds himself unable to. Instead, he drags the towel downwards to cover Kise's gaze; there's no way he can allow Kise to see him—not with the angry look on his face when Kise is simply trying so hard for him, for _them_. Kasamatsu takes a deep breath through his nose and continues drying Kise's hair.

"Kasamatsu-senpai?" Kise asks.

"You do. You will—you won't let any of us down, Kise." Kasamatsu says; the steadiness of his voice surprises him, but he's thankful. He knows things won't go smoothly in the next match, and as much as he wants to convince his kōhai to sit the match out, he knows how important this game is, both to the team and to Kise.

He also knows how important the next few years will be.

"Hey, Kasamatsu! There's someone out here." One of their teammates call; Kasamatsu turns his attention to them and raises an eyebrow inquiringly to which he receives a shrug in return. With a grumble, Kasamatsu pats Kise's head and tells him he'll be back.

As soon as the door closes, Kise drops his façade and grits his teeth. Twitching fingers reach towards his left leg—the limb burns and stings and aches terribly. Although he tries to keep his breathing paced and even, he can feel the jumps his chest gives from trying to fill his lungs.

It hurts.

With the adrenalin from the match gone, there's nothing to hinder the wakes of pain coursing up and down his leg. In a quiet room filled with only the sound of his own stuttering breaths, it's impossible to pretend the pain isn't present. It hurts, and although he wants to focus on his breathing, his attention always turns to the glaring pain that has steadily been growing in intensity since his match against Tōō.

'Breathe,' he repeats to himself.

In, out… in, out… in—

Faintly he hears the voice of his senpai grounding out a begrudging, 'I'll be right outside,' before there's a soft sound of the door swinging open and closing. He continues breathing, in, out… in, out…

"Kise?"

It's the last voice he wants to hear right now. He closes his eyes and pretends to disappear; he doesn't want to be seen while he's so weak—it's embarrassing, especially when he's being seen by someone so incredibly _strong_. Footsteps persist instead of a voice, becoming steadily louder until all at once they stop. Although he doesn't want to, he raises his head and smiles at his visitor from where he still hides beneath his towel.

"Aominecchi!" Kise calls in as happy a voice as he can; even to his own ears his words sound like a gasp.

"What are you still doing down here?" Aomine asks. He notices the pained expression the other boy tries to hide; he sees a bead of sweat slowly trail down his former teammate's set jaw and wonders just how hard Kise is trying to hide an injury everyone knows is there.

"I believe the question is 'What is Aominecchi doing here?'" Kise quips, fake smile forced in to place; long, thin fingers ache to massage the persistent pain shooting through his leg, but he refrains from any movement minus a small twitch his fingers involuntarily give.

For a few moments neither speaks; Kise can only hear the sound of his breathing. He wonders if Aomine is breathing too—if the other boy is, Kise can't hear him. Light brown eyes trail down to a sweater-clad chest and watch it steadily rise and fall. Although it's difficult, he tries to copy the pace of Aomine's breaths.

In, out… in, out…

It doesn't match.

"Hey, listen when people are talking to you." Aomine says, suddenly crouched before Kise and staring up at him with a disgruntled look Kise can't help but to laugh softly at.

"Sorry, what?" He asks, looking tiredly at his old teammate. Despite the power forward's blurring form, Kise blinks and focuses his stare on what he assumes is Aomine's face.

"Your leg… how is it?" Aomine asks, gaze trailing downward to Kise's pant covered leg. When the tanned boy looks up, he can't help but notice how unfocused Kise's usually bright eyes are. It's unnerving. "Why haven't you gone to the hospital yet?"

"What are you talking about?" Kise chuckles, "My leg is fin—ah!"

It hurts. It hurts it hurts it hurts.

"Don't lie to me," Aomine says, trailing his hand down from where he had grabbed Kise's calf to the bottom of the boy's sweats. "It's been hurting, hasn't it? And I saw what that Haizaki did back there; everyone did."

"Oh, that." Kise says, moving his leg from Aomine's hold with more struggle than what he thought would be needed. For the sake of looking aloof and untouched, he smiles as brightly as he can. "It's okay; I was just about to wrap it to be safe, although it's probably unnecessary."

There's a flaring pain that courses through his leg when Aomine jabs his finger in to it that he whines loudly at. In return Aomine simply says, "I told you not to lie to me, idiot," before he reaches for the bandages peeking out of Kise's bag. Because of the pain, Kise's breathing becomes labored; if Aomine notices, he doesn't say anything.

"'m not lying." Kise says, voice catching in his throat as Aomine carefully rolls up the pant leg of his blue sweats. It's embarrassing—he can't help but to look away. When no witty remark is made in return to his comment he sluggishly turns his gaze to Aomine who stares with furrowed brows down at the exposed skin of Kise's leg and foot. When the darker boy tries to gently caress the swollen skin around his Achilles tendon, he flinches.

"I don't think this is the time or place for _that_, pervert Aominecchi~!" Kise drawls jokingly, moving a shaking hand to roll down his pant leg. "It really isn't as bad as it looks either, promise!"

"Quit fucking around!" Aomine yells, turning his gaze to look directly at him. For a moment Kise's vision clears, but all he sees is a stormy blue that makes him feel like he's drowning; when his vision blurs again, it's from unshed tears. He's weak and he's hurt—he hates that Aomine sees him like this; it's humiliating and he just wants to _disappear_. Why can't he disappear?

"… 'm sorry." Kise says, lowering his head ashamedly.

"Don't—I'm—I'm not mad…" Aomine mutters, voice low and apologetic. He chooses not to look at Kise because he doesn't know what kind of face to make. "I'm just…" _Worried_, but the word is left unspoken. Instead of focusing on finishing his sentence, Aomine turns his attention to Kise's swollen ankle, the white skin of which is marred with ugly pinks, reds and purples. It makes Aomine wince; a part of him wishes he hadn't told Satsuki to leave before him—she'd know how to make everything better and—

"Shit."

"Aominecchi?" Kise asks, staring in wonder at the other boy's contorted face. Although not physically injured, it appears as if Aomine is suffering more than he is. Kise frowns and tilts his head a fraction to get a better look of the boy kneeling before him, "Aominecchi, are you okay?"

"Don't ask me that, you moron." Aomine grunts, forcefully unwrapping the bandages he had earlier taken from Kise's bag, "If anyone should be asking that, it should be me."

They both lapse in to silence; Kise finds that his breathing begins to match the rhythm Aomine has set with wrapping his ankle. In, out… wrap, tighten, wrap…It's oddly relaxing. With each brush of calloused fingers against his skin, Kise is able to feel the tension in his body fade; the pain in his leg is instead replaced by butterflies in his stomach from Aomine's careful treatment. It's strange being treated so gently by the other, but not unpleasant. Not in the least.

"Why do you still play?" Aomine's voice is soft, softer than Kise has ever heard it. It's startling and the blonde almost misses the question altogether. Dark brows are furrowed; Kise reaches forward with a quivering finger and pokes the wrinkles, gently massaging them away.

When Aomine glares up at him, Kise pulls his finger back before poking Aomine playfully. He says, "You would be doing the same thing if you were in my position, Aominecchi."

"This isn't about me or what I'd do!" Aomine growls, angry because he knows Kise is right. He finishes bandaging the model's foot before grabbing the other's hand, pulling him downwards a fraction in order to establish eye contact. "This is about you and your damn leg! If you keep playing you're going to get _hurt_! Maybe _permanently_."

It's a truth neither want to think about.

"I—I'll be okay." Kise says, breaking eye contact before finishing his sentence. He tries to pull his hand from Aomine's but finds the other boy only holds on tighter. "My teammates need me. I can't let them down."

Breathe. In, out… in, out…

"Bullshit!" Aomine scoffs, releasing Kise's hand in order to stand and pace a few steps—before he has a chance to lash out and punch something (because really, he only wants to punch some_one_) he shoves his hands deep in to the pockets of his jacket. When he turns he sees Kise staring at him with wide eyes. "They don't deserve that! All they've been doing is letting you down, why do you have—"

"They have not, Aominecchi! They've been great to me! They've accepted me in to their team and they believe in me and— and if anyone has been letting them down, it's me! I've finally done something right- we've finally won something; I'm not going to leave now just because my leg hurts a bit!"

"Don't give me that. They're letting you hurt yourself! Despite knowing that you're in pain, they're letting **you** _hurt_ so that **they** can _win_!" Aomine says, and he looks absolutely livid. Hot tears swell in Kise's eyes that he refuses to let fall, not in front of Aomine after such an accusation; crying would mean the accusations are justified, and he just _can't_ believe that, not right now. Not ever. Kaijō has become too important to him. Regardless of Kise's feelings, Aomine continues, "They don't deserve you!"

"Don't talk about them like that, Aominecchi." Kise says lowly, his voice almost a growl. Pale hands tremble from where they grasp the edge of the bench; the pain in his leg is slowly becoming unbearable. "If anyone is undeserving, it's me."

Because really, he isn't good enough. The faces he's seen after every lost match, every lost tournament, is testament to that.

"Whatever," Aomine grounds out, looking away from Kise in frustration. "Ice your damn knee; and when it gives out in your next match? Don't expect your 'team' to stick with you to the end."

And then he's gone; the door is shut with a slam. Kise breathes in, breathes out—in, out… in, out… in—"Nngh…" He groans, leaning forward at the waist until his head touches his knees. The mere pressure of his forehead against the top of his left knee causes him to wince.

"Just breathe," He tells himself, but all that comes out are stuttering gasps.

Over the sounds of his tearless sobs he hears Kasamatsu storm in and run up to him, reaching forward to grasp his shoulders firmly. Gently he's shaken, but Kasamatsu's voice is frantic.

"Are you okay? Kise? Kise, are you okay?"

No, he's not… but everyone already knows that.

After a brief pause to compose himself, Kiselooks to his senpai with a fake smile and nods. When he asks to be left alone, Kasamatsu scoffs and slaps him upside the head before leaving with a promise to be back in five minutes after getting some ice.

When the door swings shut, Kise reaches up to grab the towel sitting atop his head. Once he's balled up the fabric and pressed it to his mouth, he screams. Outside the door, Kasamatsu leans heavily against the connecting wall; he looks towards the ceiling at the flickering artificial lights before slamming the side of his fist back in to the concrete.

"Damn it," He says, bringing his arm up to his eyes, "Damn it."

* * *

_And there we have it! (´･ω･`) Hopefully everyone enjoyed this little... thing. I love the Kurobas fandom and am glad that I can finally contribute something to it! Let me know your thoughts; reviews are always appreciated. (:_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Title:** Just Breathe_ (2/?)  
_**Rating:** T  
**Pairings: **Eventual Aokise, possible others_  
_**Warnings:** Unbeta'd, Kaijō shown in a negative light (I promise I'm not bashing; it's simply for story-telling purposes ), AU after Kaijō match against Fukuda Sōgō. There's some vague medical... things that are/will be touched on, but I'm not a doctor so there will undoubtedly be inconsistencies, I apologize!_  
_**Word Count:** 2899  
__**Summary:** Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined._  
_**A/N:** Thank you so much to every one of you guys, you're seriously so amazing and kind! I never expected to receive such positive feedback for this story; it was a pleasant surprise to see such thoughtful reviews (and the favorites/alerts? Oh my~ ;A;)! I'm truly flattered; thank you so much for everything. Here's another chapter! Hopefully everyone will enjoy it. (:_

* * *

It's the start of the third quarter and he can't hear anything. There are people around him, but their faces are blurred and unrecognizable. It's unnerving—he can't tell who is on his team. When he tries looking around, he feels his head lull from side to side. For some reason it's heavy; the movement causes his world to spin, and although he tries to blink away the vertigo, he finds it gets worse. Where are his teammates?

His chest heaves with labored breaths and his eyes sting with tears. Everything hurts; his stomach churns with nausea, his left leg buckles under his weight with each forward movement. The edges of the court begin to fade to black, but the hoop remains present in front of him—he has to score; Kaijō is behind and he can't let everyone down again. Just two more points. He can't miss; he can't fail and let everyone down again, he just needs to keep going. One more step, one more step; he keeps running, ignoring the tight pain in his chest, the pounding at his temples, the searing pain coursing throughout his left leg—it's all unimportant. All that matters, in this moment, is winning. For his senpais, for his team; he refuses to lose and see them suffer because of it.

The ball leaves his fingertips and bounces against the court; when it touches his fingertips again, he sees a shadow from the corner of his eye. It must be Kurokocchi—the person is too small to be Kagamicchi. Or maybe the person is Kasamatsu? Regardless of whom it is, he finds himself telling his body to _move_. He feints left, stumbling when he pushes off his leg, but gathering enough balance to drive forward, charging for the hoop. He'll make it, he definitely will!

But the hoop that had been so close suddenly gets further and further away.

When his body hits the ground, the sound that had been missing comes back in a deafening roar.

"Kise!"

"Give him space!"

"What's going on?!"

There are numerous shouts around him and the squeaking of sneakers. He's not sure what's going on, but when he glances at the scoreboard, he notices that the timer's numbers have stopped moving. With some help from someone next him, he rolls on to his right side, pushing himself up with a shaking arm to glance around. Someone's breathing is unbearably loud—he belatedly realizes that the shallow wheezes are from him.

"Kise, are you okay?" He recognizes the voice; it's his coach.

It takes him a moment to notice that no sound is emitted when he opens his mouth. He glances around anxiously before his eyes settle on his left leg—he can't feel it. With jerky movements he nods his head; if the pain isn't there anymore, he must be fine.

"'m fine…" he slurs after a moment, slowly forcing himself up from the ground. He gets as far as getting on to his right knee before he realizes—

His left leg won't move. It's not that the pain is gone, he just can't _feel_ it.

Panic instantly sets in and he feels tears well up in the corners of his eyes. What's going on? What happened to his leg? He needs to finish this match; he made a promise to Kagamicchi and to his team. Reluctantly and like a scared child, Kise raises his head to look at the worried faces of the people around him. They're concerned now, but they'll be angry later when Kise lets them all down.

"I—" he starts, desperately trying to make his leg move. A frantic chuckle escapes him; he knows that if he says no, he'll be taken out of the game. If he can just get on his feet, Kise is sure he'll be fine again. There's no way he damaged any nerves; it's impossible! He can still move; he's simply feeling weak and that's what's preventing him from moving as he usually does. Kise grits his teeth and grins at everyone, waving his hand in a brief, 'it's all good,' movement.

But the truth is that is isn't 'all good'; because when he tries to push himself up with his left knee, he finds himself falling again. Although he's caught before he hits the floor; Kise's stomach continues to drop. He's—

"Riko…" Number 7, Kiyoshi, starts. Kise notices the tall second year motion to his leg; everyone's gaze travels to the useless appendage and there's a collective round of gasps.

"I'm _fine_." Kise lies; he's trying to smile but he doesn't know if he actually is—the muscles of his face don't feel as they usually do when he does.

A hand is placed atop the clammy skin of his shoulder; when he turns he sees Kasamatsu. Kise looks away and clenches his fists. Sweat drips from the point of his chin on to his trembling hands.

This _can't_ be happening.

"Oh." Riko gasps, reaching forward to graze her fingers carefully over the swollen muscles of Kise's calf. She pulls her hand back and moves in to his direct line of sight. Kise hadn't reacted at all to the touch, and according to what she sees—no, she doesn't want to believe it. "Kise-san, do you—can you feel it? Your leg?"

Instead of responding, Kise looks around at everyone. His teammates watch him anxiously; Kasamatsu stares guiltily at the floor; Kagamicchi and Kurokocchi stand close together, staring at him with drawn brows and worried frowns. Kise opens his mouth to speak, but the trembling of his lips makes it difficult to form words. He can lie; if he buys some time then maybe…

"Kise," Kasamatsu's voice is heavy when he speaks, laced with too many emotions that Kise can't seem to place, "It's okay _not_ to be alright."

Kise shakes his head in short jerks that steadily become more and more fervent. "No, no—I'm fine. I'm really fine!" He says, looking between the two coaches and Kasamatsu. Each has a different look on their face; but they appear as unconvinced as Kise feels.

"Kise," Coach Takeuchi starts.

"I said I'm fine!" Kise yells, voice breaking pitifully. Tears once again sting his eyes, but he refuses to let them fall. Kise only cries when he loses, and he hasn't lost yet. He _hasn't_!

"Kise!" Kasamatsu snaps, digging his fingers in to the pale skin of Kise's arm. The captain looks about ready to fall to pieces; Kise's heart thumps painfully against his chest from the sight. "Answer the coaches; can you—do you still have feeling in your leg?"

It's gone quiet again. Kise glances around, but the moment he spots Kagamicchi biting his lower lip and clenching his fists, Kise is forced to lower his gaze in shame.

"I'm sorry—I'm so sorry."

As soon as he speaks, his coach is calling for a stretcher, an ambulance. Kasamatsu holds him carefully, but with a grip that bruises. Around him, Kise notices that his teammates bury their faces in their hands or jerseys as they pace. He swallows thickly, wanting to apologize again. He's messed up—he really has.

"Kise, breathe with Kasamatsu. You're going to be okay." Coach Takeuchi says calmly, but Kise can see the wrinkles in the man's forehead—he's stressed, worried about the outcome of the game. Although Kise tries to ignore the guilt pressing down on him and follow the paced breathing of the captain beside him, he can't stop the rapid and shallow rise and fall of his chest. He wants to hit something—can he not even breathe right!? Takeuchi takes his wrist, checking his pulse and noting how weak it is despite its quickness. He stands and demands everyone back up.

"Someone get him a jacket! We need to keep him warm!" Riko calls. Through his racing thoughts, Kise notices that Moriyama runs towards their bench before returning with a blue Kaijō jacket. It's wrapped around his shoulders and for the first time he realizes the shudders racking his body.

Breathe. In, out… in, out…

Another jacket is wrapped around his shoulders as a referee approaches them, informing them that an ambulance is on its way and they will take a ten minute break until it arrives. Guilt settles low in Kise's stomach as people talk around him; he tries to not focus too hard on what is being said. At some point Kasamatsu hands him off to Coach Takeuchi in order to retrieve Kise's phone and inform the blonde's mother of the situation. When the older boy tries to hand him the phone, Kise shakes his head and quietly declines. When he tries to offer to move off the court so the game can continue, the referee tells him it would be best not to move until the paramedics arrive, just in case.

Kise's not sure of the last time he's felt so helpless, but Kasamatsu stays close and Kagamicchi and Kurokocchi aren't too far off either. His shoulders slump and he succumbs to the weakness he feels throughout his body.

Everyone is disappointed. He's let everyone down.

When the paramedics arrive with a stretcher, they carefully maneuver Kise until he's lying down on the stiff, bed-like board. They ask him questions, simple things that can be answered with 'yes' and 'no'. Before he's carted off, Kasamatsu approaches him and awkwardly pats his head.

"We'll visit when the match is over; leave the rest to us."

The words should be a comfort, a relief. Instead they are a dead weight on his chest.

As he's taken from the gymnasium, he catches sight of Aomine leaning against the door frame of where the paramedics had entered from. They thank the tanned boy for showing them the way; Kise knows he should try to offer his old teammate a thankful smile, but instead he turns his head away.

He's ashamed.

Once again he's fallen short, and once again it's in front of people he can't stand to disappoint.

'Breathe,' He tells himself as the doors to the ambulance close, 'Just breathe.'

* * *

The first thing Kasamatsu notices upon entering the hospital is that it's cold—almost unbearably so. Even with the sweats he had put on over his uniform he finds himself rubbing his arms to create some warmth as he wanders towards the front desk. When he asks for Kise Ryouta, the woman politely directs him to walk down a labyrinth of halls that all look the same.

The second thing he notices is how much a person at the end of the hall contrasts with the sterile white surroundings. Kasamatsu almost passes by without a word, but he realizes that he knows this person- or more specifically, Kise knows this person. It's Aomine Daiki from Tōō. The ace sits by himself in one of the small, uncomfortable plastic chairs placed throughout the hospital. Aomine's posture is terrible, he's slouching; lower back barely on the edge of the seat and neck at a painfully odd angle—the air around the boy is worse; Kasamatsu can tell from the wrinkle in Aomine's brow that the other is worried.

"Hey," Kasamatsu greets awkwardly. If Kise could see him, the blonde would probably be laughing—talking to this guy is terrifying.

The power forward glances up at him briefly before grunting. It makes Kasamatsu's brow twitch, but he lets the disrespectful greeting pass.

"How is he?" Kasamatsu asks, shifting his weight from one foot to another. There's still another hall they need to go down to be near Kise's room; he wonders why Aomine is sitting so far.

"Don't know. Haven't asked." Aomine says in a voice too tired to sound tough. The boy's dark eyes trail to the left, towards the direction they both know Kise is in.

"Why don't we go check then? He's right down this hall." Kasamatsu says, but Aomine doesn't move. "Aomine-san?"

"His mom is down there; she doesn't like me." Aomine says simply, shifting a bit to get more comfortable in his seat. The disgruntled look that the boy wears makes Kasamatsu want to laugh, despite the situation. Maybe Aomine is a likeable person?

"Go check on him." Aomine demands, fixing Kasamatsu with a look that makes him grind his teeth. 'Likeable' Kasamatsu's ass; this first-year jerk is _insufferable_.

But he's still here for Kise, and that counts for something.

"Fine." Kasamatsu says with a huff, but before he rounds the corner, he stops. "I'll come back in a little while… to let you know how he's doing."

As he's walking away, Kasamatsu thinks he hears a gruffly muttered 'thanks'. He ignores it in favor of approaching Kise's teary eyed mother. If anyone should be giving thanks, it's Kasamatsu. The support Aomine is quietly giving from down the hall speaks volumes in comparison to the team not standing beside him.

* * *

Aomine is at the hospital from the start of the fourth quarter until Satsuki shows up late in to the night to drag him home. He's long since stopped feeling the chill in the air, but the unnecessary amount of white still unnerves him. Nurses approach him every so often, asking him if he's lost or waiting for someone—Aomine doesn't know how to answer, he just feels a terrible sense of disconnect. Is he lost? Is he waiting for someone? No, he doesn't think so… but then why is he here? Aomine tells them he's waiting and they leave him alone; his thoughts are so far away and jumbled that he doesn't even appreciate when the younger, more attractive nurses, walk away.

Kise is just down the hall, but Aomine doesn't want to see him. He doubts the blonde wants to see him either, considering how their last meeting had ended. It takes a lot to make Aomine feel like an ass, but he managed. Satsuki has informed him that he needs to be more sensitive and discreet—he thinks now he understands why.

_Don't expect you're 'team' to stick with you to the end._

Who says that? Aomine Daiki, apparently. He's glad that Kise is asleep (or so says that shorty Kaijō number 4); Aomine would rather Kise not wake up to find out that the team so important to him doesn't hold him in the same regard.

'Idiots,' he thinks to himself, because who would take advantage of someone like Kise? Of course Aomine would, but not to the point that it would jeopardize the other's wellbeing to such an extent as this—Kise is partially to blame though, with his people-pleasing personality and his ridiculous, undying loyalty and his bottomless desire to be _good enough_.

How can that stupid blonde not see that he's more than enough already?

At some point he ends up sprawled across a number of chairs and is staring blankly up at the paneled ceiling above him; he should probably walk around, stretch his legs, but he doesn't feel like it. Another nurse approaches him, informing him that visiting hours ended long ago. The nurse is young, and appears to have just started her shift for the night—Aomine looks in to her eyes and asks for a few more minutes. The nurse looks away and stutters something about 'five more minutes.'

Maybe in five minutes something would change? Maybe down the hall he'll be able to hear Kise's mom receive news on her son's condition? Maybe the Kaijō captain will come back with his pathetic team of jackasses? Or maybe even that moron model will jump out of the room he's been in since Aomine's arrival, claiming that everything is alright?

Five minutes is a long time, but nothing in comparison to the four hours he's been sitting quietly in this unsettling hospital with its weird sounds and dismal atmosphere. Maybe the allotted time he's been given will be long enough to calm his racing heart, but it's been thumping loudly against his chest since the beginning of the third quarter, when Kise had been stumbling blind across the court, eyes darting this way and that—searching, searching but unable to find what he was looking for. No, he doubts five minutes will make a difference.

"Dai-chan?"

He doesn't answer; he doesn't notice.

Had Kise ever looked so isolated? Or was this just the first time Aomine has noticed?

"Dai-chan?"

Why does he even care?

Regardless of this thought, Aomine finds himself wondering if Kise would still look alone had the small forward been with him. Maybe, Aomine doesn't know; what he does know is that Kise wouldn't be _here_ and Aomine wouldn't have these damned memories of Kise falling and unable to get up burned in to his memory.

"Unf!"

A weight is put on his chest that causes him to start. When he raises his head he sees Satsuki's pink hair and light skin; the girl is crouching on the ground and has her head on his chest—she's not looking at him, but that's fine. He raises his hand and drops it on top of her head.

"Your heart is racing." She says.

He knows, but he doesn't care to admit why.

"Your face is scary." Aomine says off-handedly.

Satsuki doesn't scold him for his rudeness. The beatings of his heart don't slow down. Although the hospital grows smaller and smaller behind them as they make their way home, Aomine finds that he still hears the persistent beeping from machines and shuffling of footsteps. He takes a deep breath, sighing in to the cool winter air. He can't seem to catch his breath.

* * *

**A/N:** _Another chapter done! Hopefully it was enjoyable; you readers are so amazing that I'd absolutely hate to disappoint you somehow. Let me know your thoughts or any questions you have, alright? Reviews are greatly appreciated (and great motivation, hahaha), so please feel free to leave a little note if you have the time! :3_

_Also, I want to address my less than favorable treatment of Kaijō as a team. It's not because I don't like the members or the team as a whole, I think they're great! For story purposes though, I'm going at an angle that makes them out to be a bit... blinded by desire not to lose. I'm sorry! ;A;_

_Long author's note is long, but for you Aokise shippers out there- I will be getting around to it eventually; it may be awhile because I don't want to rush things, but it will most definitely be happening!_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Title:** Just Breathe_ (3/?)  
_**Rating:** T  
**Pairings: **Eventual Aokise, possible others  
__**Warnings:** Unbeta'd, Kaijō shown in a negative light_  
_**Word Count:** 2616_  
_**Summary:** Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined._  
_**A/N:** Why are you guys so awesome? All the kind things you write me in reviews are really just the best; I don't deserve it at all, but thank you regardless! All the support is so appreciated and really keeps me interested in writing this story! This chapter isn't as heavy as the past two have been, but life isn't always heedlessly angsty either. ;D Please read and I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well!_

* * *

For three hours Aomine's able to sleep, but after that he finds himself becoming restless. No matter how much he rolls around, trying to get comfortable, his body doesn't want to relax. At some point he gives up, choosing instead to roam listlessly around his apartment. He does chores he typically waits for Satsuki to do for him in order to pass the time, but when there's no longer anything to clean, it's only 4:37. He decides he'll go for a jog—maybe that can tire him out.

The brisk winter air hits his face harshly once he steps through his front door, but he doesn't mind; it's nothing in comparison to the chill that had been in the hospital. He starts jogging at a languid pace and let's his mind wander. He wonders how Kise is doing. He wonders if he'll be discharged from the hospital today, if he's still asleep, if he's cold. Aomine thinks stupid things without catching himself, and when he does his brows furrow and he asks himself _why_. It's not like he cares about that idiot or is especially close with him; he has no reason to be thinking the way he is.

It takes him until the time he gets back home, at 6:52, to convince himself that he only cares because it would be a tragedy if someone with Kise's talent were to be shut down while still being so young. Aomine knows deep down this isn't the reason, that in truth it's actually something more selfish—but he doesn't want to ponder it. He wants to shower and eat some toast, that's it.

Maybe when he's done with that, he'll call that Bakagami to play basketball.

Or he'll end up at the hospital, sitting in the very seat he was in not even ten hours ago. How did he end up here? Last he checked he was on his way to a store to look at a limited edition pair of Nike's. Aomine grunts a bit in annoyance, dropping his head back to hit the wall behind him before he's sliding down the chair he's seated in tiredly.

So maybe a part of him does care about Kise and the moron's wellbeing? That's fine; he's been changing a lot since his loss against Seirin. He can care about more than just basketball; he can care about the things that come with it, like Kise. That's _fine_; he just wishes he could have consented before suddenly someone like _Kise_ mattered to him.

It must have been all those damned one-on-ones in middle school, or the knowledge that the blonde has never stopped trying, or the fact that Kise is a _challenge_. Yes, that must be why Aomine's feelings have been twisted in to an indiscernible mess.

"Ugh." Aomine groans softly; he wasn't meant to think about feelings and shit like this.

There's a strong smell of coffee in front of him that makes him curiously open his eyes; his eyelids are so heavy that he can't be bothered to open them more than half-way. There's a cup in front of him. When he looks up further, there's a worried face of a rather attractive nurse.

"You look tired," She says, offering him a smile that he doesn't return. He dumbly takes the cup from her before she hurriedly takes off. For a while he simply stares at the dark liquid; it steams and is invitingly warm. When he drinks, he burns his tongue, but the coffee warms him from the inside and it's so much better than being _cold_.

The clock on the wall parallel to him reads 9:27. As he's sipping at his coffee, Kise's mother passes by. She looks fresh as a daisy and it pisses Aomine off. Had she not stayed the night before in case her son had woken?

It's 9:32 when the doctor enters Kise's room. After eleven minutes, the doctor leaves; Aomine sips his cooling coffee and wonders what was said. Considering how quick the consultation was, maybe it's nothing serious? It takes an additional twenty minutes before Kise's mom exits her son's room. She's talking on her phone, despite hospital regulation; Aomine stares at her as she walks past him, wondering what could be more important than staying by her child while he's in a _hospital_.

"—_paralyzed from knee down—unlikely he'll recover any feeling—Wednesday?—he'll be discharged tomorrow morning; he'll be ready for the shoot by then—"_

The coffee he's drinking suddenly tastes too bitter; he notices that the cup he's holding is trembling—he's not sure if his hand shakes because of the caffeine or from what he's overheard.

Unable to continue sitting idly, Aomine stands and decides to get some sugar.

* * *

It's been a few hours since he received the news. Despite so much time having passed, he still needs to remind himself to breathe. In, out. Inhale, exhale. It's not difficult, but with each rise of his chest, he finds that an action that should be subconscious has become a chore. He wants to stop, but it seems breathing is the only thing he has control of now—he doesn't want to let go of that.

"_The damage to your right leg is repairable. Achilles tendonitis is a common overuse injury; because your case in particular isn't severe, it should heal within a few weeks…"_

His eyes burn; he's not sure if it's because he's been staring at the ceiling for so long or if it's because he's crying. When he lightly touches the inside corner of one of his eyes, it's not wet. He places both of his arms over his face. Funny; he had expected himself to have cried by now.

"_Your left leg… well, you've done quite a number on it."_

Breathe, breathe, breathe. The air that escapes through his parted lips warms the cool skin on his arm. It really is too cold—he's not sure whether he'd prefer the company of others to bay the chill or another blanket. With others he wouldn't be alone, but with a blanket he wouldn't have to pretend. It's lose-lose either way.

"_You've severely sprained your knee, which can take up to six weeks to heal."_

If someone does end up visiting him (it's nearing late afternoon now, so there's still a possibility), he wants it to be his team. He needs to apologize for so many things—for failing them, for letting them down, for not living up to their expectations, for not being good enough; the list goes on forever, it seems, ending with an apology for not being awake when they came to visit him the night before. He hopes they didn't wait up too late.

"_This sprain isn't the cause of your paralysis, though. It could be - swelling could have stopped oxygen flow to - thus damaging your nerve and muscle cells—the - could be permanent – unknown as of now, but rehabilitation – possibility, but unlikely – I'm sorry."_

People seem to think he's good at everything he does, but the truth is he tends to fall short. The fact that he never wins proves that point; he feels bad now for dragging others down with him. If he hadn't been around… maybe Kaijō would have been better off?

"_At least you can't feel that terrible bruise on your foot, right? I checked for broken bones, just in case. You're fine though."_

He bites his lip harshly, taking a deep breath through his nose. Although he knows he shouldn't be thinking like he is, he can't help it. He's screwed up so badly—negative thoughts plague him, progressively getting worse and worse.

Would Kaijō have been better off without him? Do they regret having made him a part of the team? Do they hate him? Does everyone hate him? He'd understand why—he's not much more than a pretty face.

"Hey," a voice says; Kise lifts the arms covering his face and lifts his head a bit. Kasamatsu-senpai stands at the door, a very faint smile on his lips. The older boy looks tired. "What are you thinking about so hard? It doesn't suit you."

"Kasamatsu-senpai!" He calls, offering his senpai the most genuine smile he can manage. A nurse passing by gives him a look at his sudden loudness; his smile turns a bit strained and awkward as he mumbles an unheard apology. More importantly, he needs to apologize to Kasamatsu and the other Kaijō guys.

"Sorry I couldn't come by sooner." Kasamatsu says, fully walking in to the room and taking the seat his mother had abandoned hours ago. "I—uh…I'm—"

"I—I wanted to say something, actually. May I go first?"

"Oh? Go ahead." His upperclassman says, rubbing his palms anxiously on his pant legs.

"I… wanted to apologize." He starts, looking nervously to the blanket of the bed; his hands grip the material tightly for a form of purchase; he doesn't want to see them shake upon letting go. He needs to do this; he needs to formally apologize for his mistakes.

"Huh? For what, Kise?" Kasamatsu starts, sounding genuinely confused, but Kise interjects before the Kaijō captain can interrupt further.

"I let the team down; I should have done more, or tried harder—I mean—I shouldn't have left the match and—and I'm sorry I can't help us win more and—"

He's slapped upside the head—it promptly ends the apology he was stumbling through. When he gets over the shock of being hit, Kise turns to look at Kasamatsu with wide eyes. His senpai looks angry with his drawn brows and clenched fists. When Kasamatsu turns his narrowed grey eyes at Kise, the blonde visibly shrinks back. Why is the older boy so mad all of a sudden?

"Kise—you _idiot_! Did you not listen to me before? You damn underclassman! All of you are so disrespectful nowadays." The boy growls, falling back in to the seat he had stood from in order to slap his kouhai. Kasamatsu drops his head in to his hands and breathes loudly, "I'm _proud_ of you, and so is Kaijō, can you not understand that? If anyone should be apologizing, _it's me_! I—I—"

Kise's never seen Kasamatsu choke up before, although he knows his senpai does run off to cry alone after their many losses. He's glad he's never seen this—it's painful seeing someone so strong trying not to cry.

"Shit." Kasamatsu curses angrily, shaking his head in shame, "I'm so sorry; I shouldn't have let you play—we knew you were hurt and I didn't do anything, and now—I'm sorry! I should have done more; our team should have done more instead of putting so much pressure on you. You're still a kid, yet we—_your leg_…" The way Kasamatsu's voice cracks at the words is too much, it's not right.

Kise shakes his head; no—no, Kaijō never did anything wrong—

_They're letting you hurt yourself! Despite knowing that you're in pain, they're letting _you_**hurt**__ so that _they_ can __**win**__!_

Aomine's words echo in his head. Whatever protest Kise was about to say dies on his tongue and he sits in silence, listening to an apology he never once considered should be given to him.

"If anyone has failed—it's me. I've led a team that is too dependent on you, and that's _hurt_ you and—Kaijō is sorry, Kise. So don't… _don't_ apologize. You've done nothing wrong." Kasamatsu says, looking up at Kise with eyes that Kise only just notices are red. Had his senpai been crying earlier?

Over him?

Kise takes a deep breath, once, twice.

"Who… who told you about my leg?" Kise asks quietly.

"Your mother," Kasamatsu says, words muffled by the hands he's hiding in. "Word has gotten around though, somehow. I'd expect some visitors before the day is over."

For a moment, it's quiet. Kise can hear Kasamatsu's deep breaths, as if the older boy is desperately trying to calm himself down.

"…Can I expect our team to show up?" Kise asks softly, hesitantly.

"I wouldn't count on it." Kasamatsu replies regretfully.

Kise opens and closes his mouth a few times, thinking of what to say but coming up short.

They sit together in silence, Kise in his hospital bed and Kasamatsu in a lightly cushioned chair. The distance between them is small, but Kise has never felt more alone. There's a lingering guilt of not being good enough that burdens him, but the brunt of it has been taken away by a person too honorable, too kind for its weight.

Kise's chest hurts—but at the same time it feels empty. He doesn't know what to think. He just feels so _pathetic_.

* * *

"It seems you have visitors," Kasamatsu says later on. He can hear the voices of Shūtoku's Midorima Shintarō and Kazunari Takao from down the hall; they're arguing about rickshaws and lucky items. Kasamatsu pushes himself up using the arms of the chair he sits in. He turns to offer Kise a strained smile; since their conversation had ended, it had been silent and tense. Although Kasamatsu probably should have left, he doesn't want to let go of his friendship with his kouhai—it's become more important to him than he's realized. "I should—I'll go, now. I hope you feel better soon."

When he gets to the door, he awkwardly bumps in to the pair he had earlier heard. He excuses himself, stepping aside so that the others can enter. Midorima holds two items, a ginger jar in one hand and an ugly ceramic panda in the other. As soon as they enter, Kasamatsu tries to quietly make his exit.

"Senpai?" The voice stops him. When he turns his head to look over his shoulder, he sees Kise offering him a small smile. It's by no means the brightest smile he's seen the boy give—but it's genuine and kind and makes Kasamatsu's eyes fill with tears for the umpteenth time that day. "You'll still visit, won't you?"

He nods; he doesn't trust his voice.

Aomine is parallel to the door, sitting in one of the few lined up seats outside of Kise's room when Kasamatsu exits; he's fast asleep.

"Gemini's lucky item for the day is a ginger jar; I happened to have one lying around the house… you can have it."

Kasamatsu's glad.

"Don't lie, Shin-chan! You made me pedal that stupid rickshaw thirty minutes out of the way to pick that up!"

He can't stop crying.

* * *

At some point, Aomine falls asleep. When he wakes up, Midorima is standing outside of Kise's room, talking with that guy that always seems to be around him nowadays. Murasakibara appears moments later, lowering his head to get through the doorframe; the center is eating one of his many snacks, despite the disapproving glances of the nurses on staff. Off to the side, Akashi speaks with a doctor; the short red head stands with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed. When the imposing sixteen year-old says something and walks away, the doctor visibly shudders. Aomine watches as the shorter boy moves past Murasakibara and in to Kise's room.

"You should go see him." A voice beside him says; when he looks, he sees Kagami a couple of seats down. The other looks like he's struggling with keeping his composure, like he wants to throw and break things. "He needs the support."

But Aomine doesn't know how to offer support.

He doesn't want to say the wrong thing. Again.

"I don't think he wants to see me." Aomine grumbles, stretching out his legs and blocking part of the walkway.

"Since when did you start caring about what people want?" Kagami scoffs, heel bouncing against the linoleum floors anxiously. "I said Kise _needs_ support."

Aomine hates to admit it, but Kagami has a point.

* * *

**A/N: **_And so chapter 3 concludes. As always, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! With how much you guys give me (by reading and reviewing and faving and EVERYTHING) I'm trying my best to give back. It would mean the world to me if I continue pleasing you guys with these silly words I write! ;A; Please let me know how I've done, or if there's anything you're confused about, or if you just want to share your thoughts or offer constructive critisism. Thank you so much!_

_There was quiet a bit going on in this chapter; I hope it wasn't too bothersome. I'm going to apologize to any Kasamatsu fans reading this; he probably won't be featured as strongly as he has been. Since he's important to Kise, he'll still sorta present... but~ yeah. Say hello to Aomine. He'll be around. A lot. And yes, that was a brotp moment you saw at the end there; I just couldn't help myself. _

_Again, thanks for reading! Please leave a review if you have time; they're lovely!_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Title:** Just Breathe_ (4/?)  
_**Rating:** T  
**Pairings: **Eventual Aokise, possible others  
__**Warnings:** Unbeta'd, Kaijō shown in a negative light, possible OOCness? (I tried! ;A;)_  
_**Word Count:** 3121  
__**Summary:** Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined._  
_**A/N: **Flawless reviewers are flawless! ;A; And everyone that is favoriting or adding this story to their alerts; thank you **so** much. Everyone is so kind and supportive! I'm sorry that this chapter is kind of late, but I totally ran in to a wall. A lot. Hahaha, hopefully the chapter is enjoyable though! I'd seriously hate to let you guys down. You're all so wonderful; thank you again!_

* * *

Loneliness isn't a foreign feeling to Kise, but somehow he forgot the dreadful blankness and persistent ache that accompanies isolation. Kasamatsu is still beside him, but they don't talk. There's not much to say after telling someone they mattered, but only to a certain extent. This is fine with Kise though, he doesn't want to talk; in fact, he would rather Kasamatsu leave. He feels alone right now, and feeling alone with someone so close to you is just a terrible, painful feeling. Kise would rather feel alone while _being _alone. At least that way he'll still be able to hope, still be able to delude himself in to thinking these things he's feeling aren't permanent.

Kise is used to being on his own, used to being taken advantage of—he just wishes it would stop being by people that are important to him. He would gladly take the rest of the world turning against him if he could have just a few—even _one—_person that would never use or intentionally hurt him.

'Tired,' He thinks to himself as he heaves a silent sigh. Beside him, Kasamatsu is saying something; it isn't until the other boy is at the door that Kise realizes he's leaving. Kise wonders if he'll come back, or if this is goodbye. It hurts to consider that everything he believed was a lie, that every moment he spent with members of his team was an act on their part when it had been so genuine on Kise's. He doesn't want Kasamatsu to leave and never come back—Kise doesn't want to be alone despite the fact that he _is_. Because of the fact he's so utterly _weak_, he asks Kasamatsu to continue visiting him; his request causes the upperclassman to look physically pained. For a moment Kise thinks it's because Kasamatsu wants to be rid of him, but then he sees tears, and a nod.

Maybe one day he'll be able to forgive Kasamatsu and they can become friends again, but for now he doesn't want to think about it, he has new visitors: Midorimacchi and his friend, Takao. He's handed a dark blue ginger jar that he cradles gently and is told that it's his lucky item for the day. From there the voices around him fade and something inside him _lurches_.

"I did no such thing." Midorima scoffs, raising his hand to readjust his glasses. Kise wonders what Takao said to earn such a response—it was probably funny.

"Stop being so tsundere; of course you did that!" Takao drawls, but he's wearing a shit eating grin that's contagious. The shorter boy begins poking at his taller companion who swats at him angrily and tells him to act his age.

While the two banter back and forth, Kise watches fondly and chuckles at the normalcy of the moment. It takes his mind off of what's been going on; it isn't until Kurokocchi suddenly appears, tugging a skittish Kagamicchi behind him that reality comes back to slap him in the face.

"K-Kurokocchi! Kagamicchi! I wasn't expecting you guys to stop by; how are you?" Kise asks in a rushed breath, pasting a happy smile on his face. He really doesn't feel happy, but he doesn't want to act awkward and unlike himself around everyone. They surely wouldn't like that.

"We are well, Kise-kun. Thank you." Kuroko says before getting straight to the point; a trait Kise both admires and dislikes, "Everyone is more concerned about you, though. How is Kise-kun?"

"Me?" Kise asks, stalling in order to think of something to say. The room has gotten quiet, just like the court had the night before—it makes him nervous. He can't do the wrong thing again; what should he say? Midorima is looking at him, eyebrows drawn slightly. Next to him, Takao looks at the floor awkwardly, hands shoved deep in to the pockets of his jacket. Kuroko and Kagami look similar to the former pair; Kise can't understand why Kagami won't meet his eyes though.

Maybe Kagami is disappointed in him?

"I'm—"he starts, looking towards the ginger jar in his hands. Before continuing he takes a deep breath; although he doesn't feel calmer, he smiles brightly and says, "I'm a little banged up, but I'm alright! I even get discharged tomorrow; I can't wait to sleep in my own bed again. It's really cold in here!"

For emphasis, Kise uses one of his hands to rub his arm. When no one responds, Kise looks up from where his gaze had trailed to his bedding; no one is looking at him and Kise can feel his heart sinking.

Are they going to leave?

"You shouldn't smile when you don't feel like it." Midorima says.

"Yeah," Takao follows up while scratching the back of his neck uneasily; it's surprising the boy says anything, considering Kise's never formerly met with him. Regardless of that fact, the point guard chances a glance at him, "No one expects you to be alright."

"What are you talking about?" Kise asks, falling easily in to his habitual routine of lying. "I feel good; that's reason enough to smile. Everything is fine, great even!"

"Would you stop it? No, it's not!"

It surprises everyone in the room when Kagami speaks; all eyes go to the tall first-year who clenches his teeth and trembles because of the tension in his body.

"It's not fine." Kagami growls, "You can't feel your leg anymore; how is that fine!?"

No one tries to stop the power forward as he storms out of the room. Kise returns to cradling the ginger jar that was given to him as a form of purchase. He feels guilty; the empty feeling in his chest seems to expand—

"Please forgive Kagami-kun, Kise-kun." Kuroko says, his eyes trained to the door his partner just left through. When the shorter boy looks to him, Kise notices that Kuroko looks a bit sad. "The match last night upset him."

"But you guys won." Kise mumbles, breaking eye contact to look at the designs on the jar he holds.

"We didn't win anything." Kuroko corrects.

"Yes, you did."

"They won in terms of points." Midorima elaborates. "Kagami wasn't challenged in the least without you there though; the match was a throw-away."

_A throw-away_… Kise thinks he can understand that feeling, considering that's what he is.

"I'm sorry," He says. More than anything he wanted to play with Kagami last night; but now he doesn't know if a rematch will be possible. He hates to think that he's the cause of someone feeling so terrible.

"There's nothing to apologize for, Kise-kun." Kuroko says, "We just—"

**Thump.**

Everyone turns their attention to where the sound came from. At the entrance to Kise's room is Murasakibara, rubbing his forehead and eating a chocolate bar. The boy must have hit his head while trying to enter the room. Kise offers the other a polite smile and a small wave.

"Murasakibaracchi!" Kise greets. The tall center approaches him quietly, reaching in the plastic bag around his wrist before presenting Kise with a box of strawberry flavored pocky. Kise looks between the pink box and his former teammate, pointing to himself after the box is pushed further in his direction. "For me?"

"For Kichin." Murasakibara nods, handing off the box to the blonde. As soon as the box is taken from him, Murasakibara raises a large hand and places it a top Kise's head—patting it as one would a dog. Kise isn't offended though, the action is comforting. The façade he has is slowly being chipped away, but he refuses to let it fall in the company of everyone. These were the last people Kise had expected to visit him and simultaneously the _only_ people to visit, aside from his mother and Kasamatsu. He needs to stay strong, stay smiling.

At some point Momoicchi bursts in to the room, running straight for Kuroko despite her initial call of 'Kise-kun!' Although he doesn't want to, he talks about his various injuries with everyone; only pausing when a nurse enters the room to tell them that there's a limit to the number of people allowed to visit at a time. After that, Midorima and Takao excuse themselves; Murasakibara leaves not long after.

"When Dai-chan called me and told me what was going on, I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to." Momoi says after Murasakibara lowers his head and exits the room. The girl looks at Kise sadly, approaching him and laying one of her soft hands a top his. Almost immediately, Kise turns his palm upwards, shakily grabbing on to Momoi's proffered hand. Her eyes widen at the action; Kise hopes that she doesn't pull away though.

He's had no one to hold his hand throughout everything—for just a little while—

"I'm so sorry, Kise-kun." Momoi says, tightening the hold between them and watching as Kise tries not to fall apart. She sits on the side of the bed, turning her head to look at Kuroko who meets her gaze briefly before he turns to look at the floor.

"It's okay." It's not, but he doesn't want to seem weak. In order to stave off the quiet that Kise knows will undoubtedly follow his statement, he continues with a question that has been bothering him since it had been mentioned moments earlier, "How did Aominecchi find out?"

"Eh? He's been outside since this morning! He overheard your mom talking about it." Momoi says, surprised that Kise hadn't known. "He's been visiting since last night."

"You can see him from here, actually," Kuroko says, wandering over towards the window leading out in to the hall. He opens the blinds briefly and Kise catches sight of Aomine sleeping in one of the chairs the hospital provides. His heart begins to pound in his chest and he finds himself squeezing Momoi's hand a little more tightly. Kuroko shuts the blinds as Kise tries to find his voice.

"Why hasn't he come in to talk to me?" Kise asks.

"Patience, Ryouta." A voice calls; it causes Kise to correct his slouched posture and wipe the dazed look off of his face. He turns and sees Akashi walking in to the room with his arms crossed. "Satsuki; did you gather the information I asked for?"

"Yes, of course." Momoi says, reaching in to her bag and pulling out a folder that she hands off to Akashi. The red-headed boy looks through the papers inside briefly before handing everything to Kise.

"These are the best rehabilitation institutions in the country—"

As Akashi rattles on about each therapy center, Kise finds his mind wandering. There are people that care about him, although they aren't around often. They bring him gifts in order to cheer him up, or stay nearby to offer support. Kise should be happy-

"Ryouta, are you paying attention?" Akashi asks, leveling Kise with a stare that sends a shudder down his spine.

"Of course, Akashicchi!"

Why does he still feel empty?

* * *

It's early the next morning when he finally gathers the courage to see Kise. The hallways Aomine's grown familiar with look the same as they had at his first visit; all artificial lighting that bounces off of too white walls and linoleum tile. The smell of antiseptic remains heavy in the air, but he's become so accustomed to it that he hardly notices. His footsteps are loud in the mostly empty hallways; they match the steady, '_beep, beep_,' in a room he passes. The closer Aomine gets to his former teammate, the more his stomach seems to churn with anxiety.

Kise is in room 507 on the second floor. Somehow, Aomine feels the journey should have taken longer than it had. The door is open—maybe Kise's mom is with him? But he doesn't hear her. Should he still leave? Kise would be fine without his visiting. Aomine would probably end up making the situation worse—he should leave.

Regardless of what Aomine thinks, his legs carry him to stand in the door way. When he finally sees Kise, Aomine finds himself biting his lip and furrowing his brows. He's never seen Kise look so _small_.

The standard hospital gown hangs off of Kise's body, and the bed around him seems to swallow the model whole. The blonde stares blankly out the window, no hints of a smile on his face and it's _wrong_. Kise's fair skin looks unnaturally pale; it causes the dark circles under his eyes to appear disturbingly prominent. A blanket hides the boy's legs, but Aomine can imagine that they're carefully bandaged, despite the fact that one of them can't _feel_—

**Knock. Knock.**

Kise starts at the noise, turning his attention from the window towards the door. As soon as the boy's eyes refocus, a smile lights up Kise's face.

"Aominecchi!"

Aomine can't help but notice how fake it all looks.

Without saying a word, he slowly makes his way in to the room. At Kise's bedside table is a dark blue ginger jar, a box of pocky and an ominous looking red folder. Aomine turns his attention from the random assortment of items back to Kise; the blonde still smiles and it unsettles him. Aomine wishes the other would stop despite his earlier desire to see the familiar quirk of the other's lips.

"Hey." He says simply, lowering himself to sit on the edge of the hospital bed. Aomine remains conscious of Kise's left leg, eyeing it briefly before he looks back to the small forward. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm great! Really!" Kise says, smile faltering. It's undoubtedly because the other is tired; Aomine wonders if Kise had slept the night before, or at all, since his admission in to the hospital. The blonde looks _exhausted_; Aomine isn't sure if it's because of the lack of sleep or because Kise is tired of keeping up an act. Maybe both. "I've… never felt better."

It's obvious that Kise is lying, but Aomine doesn't know what he should do. Should he call the other out? Should he try talking about Kise's injuries? Should he apologize for what he had said before?

_He needs the support_.

What the Hell is that supposed to mean? He's mulled Kagami's words over in his head since the other had said them and he _still_ doesn't understand. What does he need to do!? Kise is avoiding his gaze, choosing instead to stare down at his clasped hands that subtly grip the blankets covering him. Aomine's brows furrow in frustration; how can he make Kise okay?

'Fuck this,' Aomine says to himself. He's been thinking too much these past few days; he's sick of it. Instead, he allows his body to act on its own. He reaches forward, placing a hand behind Kise's neck before pulling the boy forward and in to his chest.

"Eh? Aominecchi?" Kise gasps. Although the blonde tries to lift his head to look at Aomine, the darker boy grips his neck tightly, pulling him closer so that Kise can't see him.

"Shut up, idiot." Aomine says, voice softening as he continues. "No one will think less of you if you cry."

It takes a moment, but Aomine can feel how Kise's hold on his arm tightens. Aomine doesn't doubt that the other is scrunching up his face, trying desperately to bay tears. A sigh pulls itself from his lips; he turns his head until his face is partially buried in Kise's hair. Unconsciously, his thumb starts rubbing small circles in to Kise's neck—he can feel the other begin to tremble before Kise's free hand reaches up to grab at the material of his shirt.

"I'm sorry," Kise says, his voice hitching with a sob. "I'm sorry."

Many more sobs follow after, growing steadily louder with each shuddered breath until Kise is _wailing_. Aomine doesn't say anything, he doesn't think; he simply holds Kise as the blonde cries out the pain, frustration, anger, sadness. He wishes he could do more, or know if what he's doing is right. Aomine is pretty sure he's doing something wrong though—Kise won't stop crying.

* * *

At some point, Kise falls asleep.

After laying the blonde model down on the bed, Aomine allows himself a few moments to watch the rise and fall of Kise's chest and the slight flutter of the other's eyelashes. Kise's eyes are rimmed with red from crying, and the tip of his nose is pink; Aomine finds himself reaching forward, using the sleeve of his cardigan to wipe away the tear stains from Kise's flushed cheeks.

"You'll play again," He says as he gets off the bed. Aomine shrugs off his cardigan, laying it over Kise's chest. The blonde isn't smiling anymore; he looks hurt and worn-out—but honest. Aomine hopes that honesty will last longer than during Kise's unconscious moments.

"Against me or with me, you _will_ play again."

Before Aomine can contemplate on if he was reassuring Kise or himself, he leaves the hospital. Kise's mom will be here soon—he doesn't want to be seen by her.

* * *

"The shoot won't take that long; hopefully make-up will be able to hide those dark bags." His mom chides as they drive throughout the streets of Tokyo. It bothers Kise that all she cares about it modeling; he wants to go home and sleep.

"Yeah, I'd hate for _that_ to get in the way of my future." Kise remarks as he stares idly through the window of the car.

"Ryouta, drop the tone." She says, leveling him with a stern look through the rearview mirror.

"Sorry." He sighs; he doesn't mean to be snappy with his mom, he's just tired. Kise sighs again and reaches for the box of pocky he had dropped in the foot space near the upper half of his body.

"Oh, no you don't. Give it here." His mom says, moving her arm back so that she can snatch the box of biscuit sticks from him. A whine escapes him; in response his mom shakes her head and sighs, "Really, Ryouta. You're injured; you can't exercise like you used to; that means you need to start watching what you eat more."

He wants to scream, but he settles on breathing. It's best not to upset his mother; it's not like she's done anything wrong, she's just trying to look out for him. He sighs for the umpteenth time and his mom gives him another look. He smiles the model smile she's made him perfect throughout the years and she rolls her eyes lightheartedly. Kise goes back to looking out the window, leaning his head against the cool glass. Hopefully what his mom says is true and the shoot won't last long. It's hard to keep his eyes open—he closes them and pulls Aomine's cardigan tighter around him, breathing in the other's intoxicating scent and pretending he were elsewhere.

He really is tired.

* * *

_**A/N: **Well, this is chapter 4! For some reason I really struggled with writing it; hopefully the chapter is still a pleasant read though? ;A; Anyways, thank you to everyone again for all of your support; everything you guys write me is so thoughtful and sweet and makes me so happy! Each of you are flawless, absolutely flawless. :3 Let me know what you thought about this chapter as well, yea? Or if you have questions/concerns/constructive critisisms just send them my way and I'll be sure to address/respond to it asap._

_Now that Kise is out of the hospital, the angst should wind down considerably... but not completely, because I have plans. On the other hand, there will be more Aokise interaction and such. ;) Please look forward to it._

_Thank you again for reading, everyone! If you have time, please leave me a review. It's great to know what you guys are thinking. (:_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Title:** Just Breathe_ (5/?)  
_**Rating:** T  
**Pairings: **Eventual Aokise, possible others  
__**Warnings:** Unbeta'd, Kaijō shown in a negative light, possible OOCness? (I tried! ;A;), depressed!Kise_  
_**Word Count:** 2865  
__**Summary:** Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined._  
_**A/N: **Well, dear readers/reviewers/favoriters/alerters... you have once again continued to make my life wonderful. C: Thank you so SO much for your support, you guys are just too much for a lowly author like myself! I'm not sure what to write without sounding repetitive every chapter! ;A; Thank you guys!_

_On another note, the story's level of angst has been taken down quiet a few notches; so it's more light-hearted now and will continue to be so instead of angst, angst, angst, angst every scene (although there will still be some, because this author is an angst!whore with no shame). The main focus of angstyness will remain primarily on Kise, considering what he's going through. I know Kurobas is fictional, but regardless- there is no way someone can bounce back after so much crap hitting them at once. ): So yes, you will be seeing depression, paranoia, ect. I apologize now if that isn't your cup of tea, but this is hurt/comfort to the extreme! D: Kise will be recovering from more than just physical injuries. I hope everyone sticks with me to read about the struggles ahead. (:_

* * *

When he arrives at Kaijō, the only thing he can think of is how awkward it is being out of uniform. People stare and point; he's used to sticking out, but not like this. It feels like he's being mocked, insulted—it puts him on edge and he wants to go _home_. No one is complimenting him anymore; his classmates stand at a distance, whispering things that he's too far away to hear but can understand regardless.

_Weak._

_Pathetic._

_Disappointment._

As his mom helps him in to his wheelchair, he holds on to her right shoulder tightly; he wants to hide behind her—no one will stop talking about him. They're laughing at him and his stupidity, saying things like, 'That's the idiot that let himself be used so easily,' and, 'He must be so embarrassed; I'm embarrassed for him!' He can't deny their words; he'd rather not hear them. Isolation and being used are things he's grown accustomed to and can handle—but negative attention? No.

"You'll leave wrinkles in my shirt, let go Ryouta." His mother chastises once she's lowered him in to his chair. Reluctantly, he lets go, but she doesn't back away. Instead, she bends at the knees and lightly presses the tip of her ring finger between Kise's brows. She massages the skin softly and sighs, "Calm down, honey. More important than my shirt—we don't want _you_ getting wrinkles prematurely."

"Sorry." He says, offering his mom a small, strained smile. She smiles at him in return and, once he's relaxed his drawn brows, moves behind him in order to push the wheelchair.

"You want to visit your team still, right?" She asks as she pushes him towards the general direction of the gymnasium. The students lingering about on campus glance at him from the corners of their eyes; Kise lowers his gaze to his lap so that he doesn't have to see them. "Is that Kasamatsu boy going to be there? He's very sweet."

"If you wouldn't mind; I'd like to talk to them for a bit." Kise says. "You don't have to push me there though."

"Are you sure?" His mother asks.

"Yes—it's not too far." Kise says, turning his head to give his mom a smile. She smiles fondly down at him, placing her hand gently a top his head before stepping back.

"Try not to take too long, okay? Once I'm done talking to the principal we really need to get going." She says, and then she's off. Kise takes a deep breath before rolling himself the rest of the way to the gym. He can hear the squeaking of sneakers; the sound isn't as intense as it had been prior to their losing in the tournament. A sigh pulls itself from his lips as he awkwardly wheels himself inside. It takes a moment, but soon all the noises cease—Kise is reminded of the last match they had all played in. His heart starts to hammer in his chest as he looks at each of his teammates faces; they're staring and it makes him fidget uncomfortably.

"Kise?" A voice, Kasamatsu's voice, asks. The short third year weaves between a number of teammates in order to clearly see the blonde.

"Hey," He says, offering his upperclassman and teammates a smile and small wave. From what Kise can gather, his greeting and presence isn't well received—no one will look at him but Kasamatsu.

"Ah! Kise; I'm glad you were able to show up." Coach Takeuchi says, standing from the chair he had been seated in across the court and making his way towards Kaijō's ace. "We were about to take a break to discuss summer conditioning. You should be better by then, right?"

"I won't be attending." Kise says, and the mere statement of the fact seems to knock the wind out of him.

"What do you mean?" Takeuchi asks, brows furrowing. He'll surely still allow Kise a spot as a regular no matter what, but Kise taking advantage of his talent in basketball isn't like him. "Will you still be injured or something?"

"I don't—I'm—I'm moving. To Tokyo. I'll be transferring to a different school."

Silence. Kise glances anxiously from his folded hands to the faces across from him. No one is responding. Maybe they're shocked that his condition is so bad? It doesn't seem like Kasamatsu mentioned anything to them.

"Are you serious?" A voice grunts from far away—probably from someone near the back of the group.

"You're leaving because we lost?" Another asks.

Kise starts at the comment, shaking his head back and forth hurriedly. "No, no of course not—I wouldn't leave because of something like that—"

"Are you going to join a school with a _winning_ team?" A second year asks.

"It's your fault we lost, you know!" Another berates, and suddenly Kise is hearing voices that aren't even there. Everyone is disappointed and angry with him—maybe he really is the one at fault?

_Your fault!_

_Embarrassment._

_Could have won if you weren't always undermining us._

_Useless!_

Why is everyone talking so loud? Why can't they stop yelling at him? He tried! He really did!

"Shut up!"

At first, Kise thinks it is his own voice calling out, but then he realizes that the voice is too steady to be his own in this situation. The blonde lets his eyes travel to Kasamatsu; the boy is standing with his back to Kise, but from the other's tone of voice, Kise can tell that Kasamatsu is _livid_.

"This guy has given _everything_ for this team; you have _no right_ talking to him as you are!" Kasamatsu says, voice raised and demanding attention. "Don't accuse him of anything when you don't even know the circumstances!"

"If he's given 'everything' for this team then why do we always lose!?" Someone yells.

"Shut up!" Kasamatsu yells back, storming towards the person with quick strides before grabbing the collar of their shirt and pulling them down so that he can yell some more, "You don't know anything! Maybe we lose because _we're_ the ones who aren't good enough!"

No. No—that's isn't the case—Kaijō was always great, it was _him—_

"—sorry."

"What?" Kasamatsu asks, turning to look over his shoulder at Kise.

"I'm sorry—"

"No! Kise, you didn't do anything wrong." Kasamatsu says; his grip on the underclassman he has a hold of loosens and the kid yanks himself away roughly.

"You should be sorry!" The kid growls.

**Whack!**

"Kasamatsu, stop it!" Moriyama yells, running forward before Kasamatsu can follow the underclassman down and punch him again. Hayakawa also pushes his way through the crowd of basketball club members in order to help restrain their fuming friend. Moriyama continues, "We're graduating soon; you can't get caught up in something stupid like this!"

"It's not stupid!" Kasamatsu seethes, lashing in the hold of the two holding him.

"Kasamatsu, stop." Takeuchi orders, and while the third year stops thrashing about, his grey eyes stay narrowed and his teeth remain grit.

Everyone is tense and Kise knows that it's because of him.

"I—just came to say I'm leaving. I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused." Kise says. He looks at the faces of his teammates once more; while some look angry, others appear conflicted. Although he should be feeling sad, hurt, guilty, all he can think about is: _get out get out get out_.

"Kise, don't—"Kasamatsu starts, eyes softening when they look towards him. Kise offers the boy a mustered smile while wheeling himself forwards a small ways before wheeling back.

"Thank you, Kasamatsu-san. You don't need to defend me or explain anything though—it's fine." Kise says; his eyes sting and his smile wavers despite his efforts. "Thank you for letting me play with you guys; it was a lot of fun. I'll—see you around, maybe…"

When he hurriedly pushes himself out of the gymnasium, no one chases after him. Kise should expect that, he knows, but he still slows his movements, just in case.

No one comes for him. Kise wonders if anyone ever will.

* * *

"You've been acting strange since you came back from your basketball club meeting, what's going on?" His mom asks, glancing at him briefly through the rearview mirror. In response he sends her an easy and bright smile; he even manages a small laugh that has his mother quirking her head in confusion.

"I don't know what you mean, mom." Kise says, stubbornly keeping his smile present no matter how much he'd rather bury his face in to the seat cushion of the backseat and hide.

"When you cry for too long your face gets blotchy." She says; the fact that his mom notices something so miniscule almost makes Kise feel happy—

"We're lucky you don't have a shoot today."

_Of course._

"Right." He sighs, turning his attention to the phone in his hands. The lit up screen shows his contacts, most of which are his ex-teammates from Kaijō. As much as he wants to, he can't bring himself to delete anyone's number.

"So are you going to tell me?" His mom asks.

"Tell you what?"

"Why you were crying again." She says.

Should he tell her? It's not like she would care, but at least he can get the matter off his chest. Kise ponders to himself the pros and cons of talking and settles on waving his hand around dismissively, "It's not important."

He'd rather not trouble anyone with his problems.

"Are you worried about this new school?" His mother asks, "Do you not have friends there?"

Will he have friends at this new school? Kise doesn't know—he can't play basketball anymore… so it's not like anyone he _does_ know would have reason to want to be friends. It's a depressing thought, but it's a truth Kise knows he needs to face eventually.

"You've always been quick to make friends; I wouldn't worry your pretty little head over it." His mother laughs, but Kise can't seem to find the humor in her statement.

If he's quick to make friends, then where are they now?

* * *

The days following Tōō's loss in the Winter Cup seem to drag on forever—but it's relaxing nonetheless. Instead of tiring basketball practices, he's able to spend his afternoons and evenings however he pleases. It's pleasant, and although he has no complaints, he'd rather be on the court. He still sees his teammates, although Aomine has been disappearing more and more from afternoon classes, but it's not the same. It shouldn't be hard to speak with people he wants to call friends, but he doesn't want to bother them.

A loud sigh escapes him, causing the people around him to send him confused looks. He apologizes to each of them anxiously, not meaning to have disrupted their focus on their studies—

'Imayoshi-san and the other third years have been studying hard lately…' He thinks idly; he really misses them.

With a rough shake of his head, he returns his focus to his school work. The season may be over, but he needs to keep his grades up if he wants to play next year. The steady 'scritch, scritch' of his pencil against the worksheet in front of him lulls him in to a daze more quickly than he cares to admit; everything is just so _boring_ right now.

"Attention, class!" His teacher says in a drab monotone; he registers the sound of a door opening, but no footsteps. Instead of giving his teacher his attention, he continues to work and let his mind wander.

"—new student, Kise Ryouta."

He raises his head so fast that he's surprised he doesn't pull a muscle in his neck. Kise Ryouta? Kise Ryouta is Kaijō's ace though—recently injured and Aomine's old teammate and a model and why would he be here at Tōō when their basketball season is over and—

Brown eyes widen.

Kise Ryouta is in a wheelchair. The blonde is smiling brightly, introducing himself to the class as if nothing is wrong. There's chatter around him as the teacher instructs Kise to enter through the back of the class. Numerous girls leave their seats, shoving past one another in order to open the door and offer to push Kise to his seat. Although the teacher tries to stop them, they can't be deterred.

Despite the going ons, he seems to get lost in his thoughts. Kise Ryouta is at Tōō Academy, as a student, in his class. In the class he shares with Aomine, who was Kise's teammate in middle school, who is able to challenge Aomine in basketball and—

"Teacher! I'm so sorry, excuse me!" He stands from his desk before he even voices his question. Many students stare at him, although most of them remain distracted by the model in their midst. The teacher looks at him oddly, motioning with a slight tilt of his head to continue. He stutters, "R-restroom! Please, it's an emergency!"

"Ah… go ahead, Sakurai." The teacher says, waving his hand in the direction of the door. Sakurai apologizes as he rushes out of the classroom, taking a brief moment to look at the back row where Kise is—there's a small opening through the girls crowded around the boy's desk and—

How can you look so sad while smiling?

Sakurai mentally shoves the thought away; he needs to find Aomine! It's nearing noon, meaning Aomine can be in the gym or on the roof. Not knowing which to pick, Sakurai starts running down flights of stairs and through halls in order to get to the gym. Aomine has been practicing basketball more often lately, so—

_Empty_. Sakurai groans and turns on his heels, pushing the doors to the gymnasium open so he can start the long sprint up to the roof. Why can't Aomine be predictable for once?

"Oh, excuse me! I'm sorry." He says through gasps, bowing low to an upperclassman that he almost runs in to while running up the last flight of stairs leading up to the roof of the school. The girl is pretty, but by no means would what Sakurai consider 'girlfriend' material— she doesn't have the appearance of someone that would stick around, let alone someone who would _want_ to.

"Oh," The girl says; Sakurai realizes that she appears dazed and a little flushed. He hopes she isn't sick—he doesn't have time to help her to the infirmary when he has to find Aomine. She continues, offering him a smirk as she passes, "Don't worry about it; just try not to run about like that, you can hurt someone."

"R-right. Sorry." He says, bowing again before he cautiously continues up the stairs. "Excuse me!"

"Un." She says distractedly, not paying much mind to him. Sakurai furrows his brows a bit at her strange behavior before continuing up the stairs two at a time. When he pushes the door to the roof open, he sees Aomine sprawled on the ground near the fence. Although his lungs burn from the sprints he's been running, Sakurai makes his legs move the last few meters to stand next to Aomine.

"Did you forget something?" The boy grunts, rolling on to his side and strategically away from Sakurai.

"Aomine-kun!" He says, and the power forward lazily rolls back on to his back, raising an arm to cast a shadow over his eyes before peeking up at him.

"What?" Aomine asks.

"We—new student," He starts; Aomine rolls back on to his side. Sakurai wants to groan at the other's immature behavior, but decides to continue his statement through gasping breaths, "Kise-san; Kise Ryouta-san!"

"Huh?" Aomine asks again, but this time Sakurai seems to have his undivided attention.

"There's a new student in our class," Sakurai says again, this time without loud gasps that burn his lungs in between words, "It's Kise Ryouta, from Kaijō."

When Aomine pushes past him, Sakurai stumbles.

* * *

The bell for lunch rings and students begin filling the once empty halls; Aomine pushes past them with reckless abandon while trying to reach his class on the floor below. It doesn't take much effort to weave, but shoving feels more fulfilling at this point in time. Behind him, he can faintly hear Sakurai apologizing to the people who fall victim to being in his path; as he grows closer to his homeroom, he begins to hear more than a frantic call of, 'I'm sorry! So sorry!'

"You're so handsome!"

"I can't believe a model is at our school—in our class!"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Aomine slides the door to the classroom open harshly; it bangs loudly against the wall before ricocheting and bumping in to him. It takes no time all to spot Kise at the back of the classroom—his blonde hair sticks out in the sea of black and brown around him. Numerous pairs of eyes turn to look at him, but his attention remains steadfast on his blonde idiot ex-teammate.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to him, but Kise is in a wheelchair. The blonde stares at him with wide brown eyes and a confused expression that soon blooms in to a dopey looking smile. Aomine finds that his left eye twitches in annoyance at how _fake_ the moron is acting—

"The Hell are you doing here!?"

* * *

_**A/N: **Here we have it, Chapter 5! Hopefully everyone enjoyed this chapter. I know I said it would be lighthearted for the most part- totally forgot about the first scene though; my bad, everyone. ;D Anyhoo, I want to thank you guys for your support again. It really means so much to me when I check my email and see all these lovely comments or little notices that someone thinks highly enough of my story to want to know when it updates or something. Really, thank you for the encouragement! Updates are probably going to slow down to once a week, sadly. School is starting though so I need to focus. ): You guys are so great though that I refuse to be stopped completely! C: Please let me know what you thought of this chapter; comments/concerns/questions/constructive critisism/etc. are always fantastic. (:_

_There are just a couple of things about this chapter I want to address, starting with Aomine. To confirm any wavering beliefs, yes, there were shenanigans going on on the roof. Nothing too scandalous, because I'm keeping in mind that Aomine is only 16. But yea, shenanigans. l: Moving on to Sakurai- I'm just so sorry (there's a pun in here somewhere, and it is not intended). I'll admit he's not my favorite of Kurobas characters, great as he is. I'm afraid I butchered him to new levels. ): I'm really sorry, everyone! Anyways, last is Kise's mom. As planned, there seems to be a gerneral consensus that she is a bitch. I'm pleased with this. (:_

_Anyways, thanks again for reading, everyone! If you have time, please leave me a review! I'd love to hear from you. 3_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Title:** Just Breathe_ (6/?)  
_**Rating:** T  
**Pairings: **Eventual Aokise, possible others  
__**Warnings:** Unbeta'd, possible OOCness? (I tried! ;A;), depressed!Kise_  
_**Word Count:** 2552  
__**Summary:** Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined._  
_**A/N: ** How can you all be so wonderful?! Seriously, your support is just amazing and motivates me so so much. Thank you to every one of you that read/reviewed/favorited/alerted this story. Here's another chapter for everyone (before my demise at school; omg I'm so scared!)! And just a note if you're reading this... I am having a_ **Drabble** **Drawing **_that I will discuss at the bottom of this chapter. Look out for it! O:_

* * *

What the Hell is Kise doing here? The idiot should be at home resting! Or with that pathetic excuse he calls a 'team' over at Kaijō. Kise shouldn't be in Tōō smiling that too perfect model smile at him as if nothing is wrong—_everything's_ wrong! The blonde is confined to a wheelchair and can't walk and can't play basketball and is too far away from the support that he obviously both wants and needs and—

_Wait._

Did those Kaijō bastards do something to scare Kise off?

"Don't be so crude, Aomine-kun!" Some girl says; he hasn't bothered to remember her name. She has her hands placed on her hips and is glaring at him while puffing out her cheeks. If he weren't so distracted, he'd tell her that the cutesy look does nothing for her. "We were talking to Kise-kun first!"

"Whatever; I'm talking to him _now_." Aomine says, walking towards the group. The girls move to stand behind Kise as they squeal annoyingly, holding on to the blonde's shoulders and arms as if the idiot can protect them. It irritates him; Aomine wants to tell them to let go and back the fuck off.

"You shouldn't be so mean to girls, Aominecchi!" Kise says, his tone both light and teasing.

"Shut up, you." Aomine grunts, pushing past the girls that hide behind the blonde and grabbing the handlebars on the back of the wheelchair the other sits in. Without warning, Aomine turns the chair harshly, causing Kise to fall to the side with a yelp.

"Aominecchi!" Kise complains, placing his hands on the arm rests of his chair and pushing himself in to an upright position. He turns to look over his shoulder at Aomine, offering the other a pout that earns nothing more than an eye roll in return. Kise sighs in an exaggerated manner, turning to face forward to see where they're going. The halls are filled with a sparse amount of students—Kise figures they're nearing an area of the school that isn't in use. He can feel his heart dropping to his stomach from the realization; what kind of face is he supposed to show the ace now when it's only the two of them? He hadn't prepared for this. The last time Aomine saw him, Kise had made a fool of himself! Aomine probably thinks he's pathetic and weak, inadequate and hopeless.

"We could have just talked in the classroom, Aominecchi. Let's go back." Kise says, dropping his head back so that he can look up at his ex-teammate. He really doesn't want to be alone with Aomine; he's ashamed and embarrassed and—Aomine continues to ignore him, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. The tanned boy's brows are furrowed—maybe he's annoyed that Kise is attending Tōō? Maybe Aomine wants him to leave? He hopes not; but why else would Aomine be taking him somewhere to talk in private? "Hey, Aomine—cchi!?"

Kise nearly crashes in to an old podium when Aomine shoves him inside of an abandoned room. With frantic movements he's able to brake quickly enough so that he avoids causing any further injury to his being, but his heart continues to race despite the averted crisis. Behind him Aomine shuts the door; when Kise turns to face the power forward, Aomine is taking a seat on one of the desks.

"What are you doing here?" Aomine asks, the tone of his voice sounding more annoyed despite his inward worry that something happened that caused Kise to end up in Tokyo. He already wants to _crush_ Kaijō—if they did something more, Aomine doesn't know how he'd feel, what he'd do.

On the inside Kise panics; he can feel every thump of his heart against his chest. He doesn't know the right way to answer the power forward's question—Aomine is annoyed, just like everyone else was. If Kise can keep up his front though, maybe everything will be fine? "Eh?" He asks, schooling his face in to a playful pout while crossing his arms. What he's doing is good, he can act through this—he's fine! He continues in a whiny voice, "Aominecchi doesn't want me here? How mean!"

"I didn't say—"Aomine starts, but stops himself before he can finish the statement. Across from him, Kise stares up at him with a look of surprise that slowly morphs in to the shyest yet brightest smile Aomine's seen in a while. He's embarrassed—he covers the upper part of his face briefly with one of his hands and sighs in exasperation. Had Kise's smile not been so genuine, Aomine surely would have throttled the idiot for pulling him in to such a trap, "Shut up! Why aren't you in Kanagawa?"

"Ah, well…" Kise starts, rolling forward in his chair before rolling back. Aomine wonders if it's a nervous action, since the other can no longer stand and shift his weight from foot to foot. But why would the blonde be nervous? It's not like Aomine is a stranger—it was only a week ago that the idiot had been crying on his shoulder!

_Oh._

"Akashicchi recommended a rehabilitation center in the area." Kise continues; although the model seems to be fine, Aomine can't help but notice the nervous fidget of the other's thumb on the wheel of the chair and how, despite Aomine's effort, the blonde avoids any and all eye contact with him.

Kise's _embarrassed_.

"Besides that, Kurokocchi is in Tokyo! It'll be easier to visit him now." Kise laughs. As if in attempt to put distance between them, Kise turns his chair in order to push himself towards the covered windows across the room. With his long reach he's able to grasp the thick material, but when he tries to pull it aside, it doesn't budge.

"Why didn't you go to Seirin then?" Aomine asks, quietly pushing himself from his seat and approaching Kise from behind.

"Why? I—I uh—"Kise stumbles, trying to figure out what he wants to say. The model can't admit the real reasoning behind his choice of schools; his face feels warm from the mere thought of being honest. Saying 'being near you makes me feel better,' is just too ridiculous. Lying would be best in this situation, it would save him from further humiliation and rejection and—

Aomine stands too close beside him, reaching forward with one hand to grasp the material above where Kise is holding. The closeness between them makes Kise's breath catch in his throat and his grip on the window cover loosen. When Aomine pulls the material aside in a sharp motion, the room is bathed in light that causes Kise to squint. It takes a while for his eyes to adjust, but when they do, Aomine is staring down at him expectantly, as if telling him, 'Just _try_ to lie to me.'

"S-Seirin wouldn't accept a transfer so suddenly." Kise stutters, turning to look away from Aomine and out the window. He feels guilty for lying, but he _really_ doesn't want to be honest about the matter. He's appeared weak in front of Aomine too many times already—he doesn't want the power forward's opinion of him to become like his past teammates from Kaijō.

"Is that so?" Aomine mutters, glancing down at Kise while turning and leaning against the windows. He lowers his head a bit in another attempt to catch the model's eye but the other glances away. A sigh pulls its way past his lips as he shoves his hands in to his pant pockets. "It was better when you were being honest, you know—like at the hospital."

The face Kise makes is strange; the tips of his ears are pink. The fact that the blonde is embarrassed over something so ridiculous causes a smirk to make its way across Aomine's face. With a smooth movement he reaches out and flicks the tip of the blonde's ear—the teen yelps in response before pulling away and staring up at him in confusion. Long fingers pinch the abused flesh in an attempt to stave the pain; Aomine almost wants to laugh but refrains.

"Stop being embarrassed—I already told you that no one will think less of you, myself included." Aomine says, looking straight down in to Kise's eyes.

The attention is too much; Kise lowers his gaze to his lap as his fingers slowly trail from the tip of his ear, to his earing, and eventually to rest a top his thighs. Aomine says that he doesn't think less of Kise, but does he really mean that? Kise is too afraid to ask.

* * *

Some time must have passed, because when Kise next realizes it, the bell signaling the end of lunch is ringing. Aomine is still standing, looking with his head turned to the side out the window. It appears as if the power forward spaced out too; something must be bothering him—he's looked troubled since he saw Kise. Knowing that he's the cause of Aomine's troubled face makes Kise feel guilty. He's put Aomine in a bad position—selfishly going to Tōō as if he would be wanted there—

"Moving here had nothing to do with your team, right? They didn't—_do_ anything, right?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

It surprises him—why is Aomine asking about his old team at Kaijō? Shouldn't he be asking him to leave? Kise doesn't understand; he gets in the way, he screws up, he's a selfish waste of space… why isn't Aomine getting angry with him? Instead the tanned boy only looks down with an indiscernible look that Kise refuses to wholeheartedly believe is worry.

"I moved here for physical therapy." Kise says. "They… supported my decision to leave."

It's a heavy statement that Aomine doesn't have to think hard about to understand, not with the defeated look Kise fails to hide. Not knowing what to do, he moves behind Kise and starts pushing him back to the classroom. When they enter through the back door, most of the class is in their seats, preparing themselves for the last few lessons of the day.

"Aominecchi really doesn't think less of me?" The question is spoken in a murmur; Aomine can see that the blonde is preparing himself for the worst. It's subtle, but Kise's brows furrow and his eyes squint slightly; the model bites the left corner of his bottom lip and he taps his thumb against his clasped hands anxiously. Aomine isn't stupid—he knows that how he answers will affect Kise's actions.

'Idiot,' He thinks to himself; he can't stand the way Kise is so dependent on the feelings and opinions of others. Without much thought, Aomine picks up the books on the desk next to Kise and tosses them on top of his own a few seats ahead. There's a protest, but when he glares down at the kid and grunts a forceful, 'Switch seats with me,' they're quick to stop. As the smaller student hurries away, Aomine pulls out the seat noisily and plops in to it, kicking his legs up on top of the desk and leaning back in his chair in an effort to get comfortable. When he offers Kise a brief glance, the other is staring at him with a mixture of wonder and fear.

"It's not you I think less of, moron."

Purposefully, he turns his attention to his left, pretending to look at the book they'll need for their next lesson from the girl beside him. Kise is looking at him with such relief that he wants to leave the classroom and find the fuckers that made his idiot blonde ex-teammate so insecure. He's pissed, he's _angry_ but he can't do a _thing_.

'Just wait until next year,' He thinks to himself, chancing a glance at Kise once he knows the other has turned his attention to something else. The blonde still looks wary, but less skittish than before. People may think Kise only has injured legs, but to Aomine it's obvious that there's more to the matter than that.

'I'll _crush _them.'

* * *

It's nearing eight o'clock when his mom comes home. From where he is in the bathroom he can hear her talking over the phone—probably with some magazine to make plans for a shoot or interview. Although he wants to tell her to _stop_ and let him rest for a while, he knows she would get angry. The only reason his mother uprooted her life was because he said more job opportunities may be available in Tokyo—that moving would make him more accessible; that booking him appointments would keep his mind off of things.

He doesn't regret his actions; they've allowed him a chance at rehabilitation, he just wishes he could sleep and maybe stop feeling so tired. It's like his body is made of lead; all he wants to do is lay in bed and exist as subtly as possible. It's become exhausting to pretend to be happy, to be fine. Aomine says that no one will think less of him for crying, for being weak, but he teeters on believing if those words are true or not. If they're true, then why does he hear voices mocking him as he pushes himself through the streets? Why do people stare at him with such disgust when he's doing nothing wrong? Why is it that as soon as he turns his back, the people that had pretended to be kind to him think so badly of him?

It seems the only person he's capable of not feeling terrible around is Aomine, and even then it's a stretch filled with too many ups and downs. He's sure the embarrassment of having cried in front of the other will fade with time, especially since Aomine isn't holding it over his head, it's just—Aomine is bound to get fed up with him at some point. When that happens, what should he do?

"Ryouta!" His mother calls happily, smiling at him brightly from the door way of the bathroom. He jumps a bit from her sudden appearance, turning to face her with his fingertips still rubbing an exfoliator over his face. As if to ask, 'what's up?' he tilts his head to the side.

"You won't believe how full your schedule already is!" She says, clapping her hands together happily.

"Ah, that's great!" Kise says, offering his mom a grin before he turns his attention to wetting a wash cloth and wringing it dry.

"Isn't it?" His mom giggles, "I left you a salad in the refrigerator for dinner; did you not see it in there? It's best to eat before seven, you know?"

"I saw it," Although it's small enough to easily overlook, "And I know; I don't have much of an appetite though—I was just going to go to bed."

"Alright; that's probably for the best. Those dark bags are really stubborn, aren't they?" His mom says; her voice is already fading and Kise realizes that she's no longer at the door. He sighs and begins rubbing the exfoliator from his face with the washcloth.

He likes modeling; it's fun, but he would rather sleep. Just for a day, or a week, or until he can feel his leg again.

_It's not you I think less of, moron._

Kise wonders what Aomine meant by those words. As far as he's concerned, he's the only one that has reason to be thought less of.

* * *

_**A/N: **Chapter 6 is done! It's a little short, which I apologize for... I really need to sit down and plot everything out. (ノД`)・゜・。I'll definitely work on it, dear readers! I'm terribly sorry for the disappointment! But on the other hand, thank you again for all of your support for the last chapter; it was great being able to read your comments and see new people find interest in what I've written. Hopefully I'll hear from you again, possibly? Comments/concerns/questions/constructive critisism/etc. are very helpful! And appreciated! (*´∀`*) Thank you for reading everyone; love you oodles!_

_Recently I've noticed that this fic is coming up on 100 reviews ((which I am inwardly dying over; you guys are too good to me!)) and have decided to try something out as a 'thank you' of sorts. So I thought of a _**Drabble Drawing** _in which everyone who reviews for the chapter I reach 100 reviews on (I'm guessing next chapter or the one after perhaps?) will be a part of. Only 3 people will be picked and I will write them a one-shot/drabble of a prompt they give me. This could be the most stupid idea ever, but everyone is so amazing that I really want to do something personal for you guys. (づ￣ ³￣)づ So yes, this is the plan! The only conditions I have for this drawing is that, if you want to be apart of it, you must review by the following week (around Friday) before I post the next chapter, whichever one that may be. The other condition is more of a concern... namely about anonymous reviewers. There's no way I'm discluding you guys, since you help inspire/motivate me just as much as logged in reviewers, but maybe instead of 'Guest' you can use different names? Differentiate yourselves a bit? I'm trusting you lovely people not to steal an anonymous person's spot if they so happen to be picked, just because there's no way of me telling if it's them or not! ;A; Anyhoo, thank you for reading this everyone!_

_If you have time, please leave a review telling me your thoughts on the chapter! I'd really appreciate hearing what you think! C:_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Title:** Just Breathe (7/?)_  
_**Rating:** T  
**Pairings: **Eventual Aokise, possible others  
__**Warnings:** Unbeta'd, possible OOCness? (I tried! ;A;)_  
_**Word Count:** 3802  
__**Summary:** Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time._  
_**A/N: **Ahhhhh~ thank you guys so much for everything! It will never cease to astonish me how many people read/review/favorite/alert this story! I never would have imagined this story would still garner interest after this amount of time; thank you so much for staying with me and my writing. ;A; Anyways, without further ado, here's chapter 7!  
_

* * *

Two weeks pass and Kise feels better than he probably should. There's still a heavy guilt that sits at the base of his stomach, but he thinks he's moving on from the events that transpired with Kaijō. Although probably from his overwhelming workload, Kise finds that he isn't thinking about his team as much as he had the first week he had to leave them. At night sometimes he'll still contemplate on what he could have done or what he can still do to make up for his mistakes to his old friends, but then he sees Aomine the following morning at school, waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the second floor and he forgets. It makes him inexplicably happy that the power forward goes out of his way to help him up the stairs and to their classroom day after day; Kise knows Aomine could be doing other things, better things.

'Is helping me a bother?' He asks one day.

'The only bother is those questions of yours,' Aomine grunts, 'if I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't be.'

Although he isn't able to talk with Aomine that much, he's learning more about the tanned player than he knew before—like how unexpectedly kind and thoughtful Aomine can be. Kise doesn't know if the uncharacteristic actions are purposeful or not, but he's not complaining either way.

Today Aomine disappeared at the start of lunch; Kise doesn't know where the power forward went, but this has become a typical occurrence so he doesn't mind—he doesn't want to tie Aomine down, even if he does appreciate the other's company. It's not like he's lonely, either. Plenty of girls still approach him to chat, and on occasion some guys. Momoicchi often checks in on him too, although she can never stay for long because of her responsibilities with student council and the many other things she has going on. It's pleasant at Tōō—

"Have a good lunch, Kise-kun! We'll see you around!" Some girl says, sending him a bright smile before she rushes out of the room with her giggling friends. Kise allows himself a small chuckle, offering the girls a wave in return. Even when they're out of the classroom, he can hear them talking excitedly with one another.

-The only problem is that he can't make any friends. Or rather, he's too _afraid_ to make friends.

Kise sighs softly to himself, reaching in to his book bag for the juice box he had put in there that morning. He doesn't understand why he's so scared; he's the type of guy that's friendly and talkative and outgoing—it shouldn't be difficult to befriend someone. There are plenty of people looking for his friendship that approach him periodically, but instead of accepting the offers with open arms he keeps a cordial distance. It's not like him in the least, but he can't help it.

'Am I scared I'll disappoint them somehow?' He thinks to himself as he pulls the straw for his juice out of its plastic wrapper. It's entirely possible that's what he's afraid of, but he knows the fear runs deeper than that; he doesn't want to explore the thought further though; he would rather believe it will fix itself with more time.

"Um… excuse me?" Someone asks softly; Kise doesn't realize that the words are directed at him—he continues to stare blankly at his juice while trying to stab his straw in to the box. The person clears their throat quietly before trying again, "Kise-kun?"

"Huh?" He asks dumbly, snapping out of his thoughts with a flurry of blinks. The boy in front of him looks terrified; Kise wonders if he did something scary while he had spaced out. "Uh, hey! What's up?"

"D-does Kise-kun want to have lunch together?" The boy asks—Kise vaguely remembers seeing him during his match against Aomine in the Inter High. For the life of him, he can't seem to recall the brunette's name, but the kid wants to eat with him—no one has asked him before.

"You want to eat with me?" Kise asks, looking up at the other with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry!" The boy says quickly, bowing low enough so that Kise can see the top of the brunette's hair. It surprises him—what is the other apologizing for? Did he miss something? The boy continues, "I didn't mean to impose on you; I'm so sorry for asking, I—"

"W-wait, wait! You weren't imposing!" Kise says, shaking his head frantically to and fro; he holds up his hands in a placating manner and hopes the boy in front of him will calm down. "I'd really like to have lunch with you."

"Really?" His classmate asks.

"Only if I can have your name first." Kise says, an amiable smile blooming across his face. This is his chance to make a friend—he can do it!

"Oh, I'm sorry! It's Sakurai Ryō." Sakurai says as he pulls a chair up to Kise's desk to sit. The boy opens his bento with trembling fingers; Kise wants to tell him not to be so nervous, but he feels that would only cause the boy in front of him to apologize more.

"Kise Ryouta, although you already know that." Kise laughs softly. "It's nice to meet you."

After their introductions, it gets awkwardly quiet. Thoughts race throughout Kise's head; he doesn't know what he should start talking about. Basketball seems the obvious choice, or he can talk about their latest lecture or upcoming trends or dramas or—

"Wow!" Kise gasps in awe, lowering his head to look at Sakurai's bento. It looks like something out of a commercial; everything is perfect! Not even the bentos girls have given him can compare.

"I'm sorry." Sakurai says, moving his bento away from the desk as if Kise had been disgusted by it.

"What? No! It's so cute!" Kise says; a smile lights up his face—the bento is just too _adorable_. He loves it. "Did you make it yourself?"

"O-oh. Yes, I did." Sakurai says, lowering the bento so that it's visible again; Kise takes the opportunity to further admire the culinary masterpiece. He had no idea people could make such amazing things! "Would Kise-kun like some?"

The offer stuns him, but Kise is quick to regroup. He shakes his head and smiles easily, "No, thank you. I just had no idea people could actually make stuff like this; it surprised me. I'd never be able to do it; you're amazing, Sakurai-san!"

At the compliment, Sakurai flushes lightly and averts his gaze down towards his food. The boy mumbles something that Kise doesn't catch and has to ask the other to repeat. Sakurai pokes anxiously at his food, casting Kise nervous glances every so often before gathering the courage to speak, "I can show you how… if you wanted."

"Really?" Kise asks and Sakurai nods tentatively. He wonders if he should say yes—he really wouldn't mind learning how; the bentos are precious and it's not like his mom had ever prepared him one or taught him how to. But what if Sakurai is only trying to be polite and doesn't actually want to teach him?

"S-sorry if you don't want to. I'm really sorry—you don't have to; it doesn't bother me if you don't want to." Sakurai rambles, "You just seemed so excited over it that I thought I would—I'm sorry."

"W-why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong!" Kise says, waving his hands about wildly in order to distract Sakurai from his endless string of apologies. "I—I really want to learn, actually."

"You do?" Sakurai asks; Kise wonders if the copious amount of 'sorry' was supposed to make him cave to the other's request without thinking. Sakurai looks happy though, so that's good? Kise can't help but to feel antsy though when he nods. As much as he wouldn't mind spending time with someone other than his mom, he just doesn't know if this is a good idea or not.

"I'm glad," Sakurai says before taking a small bite of rice. Kise looks to the other boy with a confused look on his face, but the brunette makes no move to explain. Instead they begin talking about their last lecture, which leads to them talking about their least favorite subjects, which leads them in to a conversation about what they enjoy doing. Sakurai is in the middle of talking about wanting to draw a manga when suddenly someone is reaching over Kise's shoulder to grab something from the brunette's forgotten lunch. Kise doesn't need to turn around to know it's Aomine, but he does so anyways.

"Aominecchi!" Kise calls happily; in response Aomine grunts and grabs another octopus-shaped sausage before moving aside to sit on his desk.

"Should have known you two of all people would become friends." Aomine says offhandedly before dropping the food he had stolen in to his mouth. Before he even finishes, the tanned boy is reaching out for the bento again. Sakurai apologizes and picks up the dark red box to hand over to his teammate.

"Stop bullying Sakurai-kun, Dai-chan." Momoi says, walking over to the group and trying to snatch the bento away from her childhood friend.

"I'm hungry," Aomine says, holding the bento out of Momoi's reach with a smug smirk.

With a loud huff, Momoi gives up and drops herself in to the seat at Aomine's desk. Kise laughs a bit to himself at the pair's antics; when he looks towards Sakurai, the boy looks like he's trying to squeeze in an apology over Aomine and Momoi's lighthearted bickering. Can they be considered friends now? Kise doesn't know—he doesn't want to assume anything. Sakurai didn't say anything in response to Aomine's earlier statement though, so maybe they are? A smile pulls at the corners of his lips—despite his anxiety, he's content with having a new friend—A friend that he can talk to easily with, a friend that listens to him, a friend that wants to teach him new things, a friend that doesn't seem to _blame_ him. It's really nice; he doesn't know why he let his fears stop him.

"—chan? Ki-chan?"

"Huh?" Kise asks, turning his attention to the pink haired girl. She's looking at him worriedly; he smiles at her in an attempt to offset her concern. "Sorry, I spaced out. What's up?"

"Have you eaten your lunch already?" Momoi asks. "Dai-chan and I were going to go to the cafeteria to pick up some bread."

"Oh! Thanks, but I have this. I'm fine." Kise says, holding up his half-empty juice box and wiggling it around.

"What are you, a hummingbird?" Aomine quips as he stands from where he had been sitting. The boy shoves his hands in to his pocket and watches him with a befuddled expression.

"Eh? That's not enough, Ki-chan. Let us get you something solid, at least." Momoi says; Kise sees she's about to go in to mother hen mode—he always thought that was reserved especially for Aomine. It's mildly terrifying, although a part of him appreciates it.

"I'm really not that hungry," Kise laughs while waving his hand in a dismissing manner. "Thank you for the offer though!"

"If you're sure." Momoi says uncertainly, making her way towards the door with Aomine. Before they leave she looks over her shoulder and calls, "Text me if you change your mind, okay?"

"Or we can just buy food and force feed him." Aomine deadpans—his voice is faint so Kise knows they're already walking down the hallway. The comment is followed by a reprimanding, 'Dai-chan!' before Kise can no longer hear the two.

The normalcy being at Tōō brings him is amazing. He can't remember being like this at Kaijō. As Sakurai begins talking about his manga plans, Kise wonders what would have happened if he had chosen to stay in Kanagawa. Would there still be someone that went out of their way to help him? Would there still be someone that wanted to be his friend? Would there still be someone he felt happy with?

He doesn't know; he doesn't contemplate the matter further because Sakurai is suddenly doodling something that Kise can't help but praise. He's becoming happier in Tokyo day by day—that should be enough.

* * *

It's as he's slipping in to a pair of dark wash skinny jeans that he hears a phone vibrate. At first he thinks nothing of it; he hasn't received a text from anyone in a number of weeks anyways so there's no way it could be for him. Kise figures the message is for his stylist who sits across the room at the makeshift hair and make-up station the magazine he's shooting for set up.

"It's for you," The stylist says, twirling in the swivel seat Kise had been sitting in hours before in order to snatch the red mobile from the counter he has his products set up on. Kise doesn't mind that the man looks at his phone—he's worked with him a number of times so they know each other well enough; it's not like Kise has friends sending him any scandalous stories or anything.

"Who's it from?" Kise asks, maneuvering his left pant leg up his calf.

"Aominecchi." The stylist says, glancing up from the phone in order to look at Kise.

"Eh!?" Kise exclaims, hoping on his right foot over to where the other man is while simultaneously trying to wiggle in to the pants he was asked to wear. Why would Aomine be texting him? He can't recall such a thing _ever_ happening and he's known the boy for three years! "Let me see!"

"Oh? Is this a special someone?" His stylist teases, pressing a few buttons in order to open the text. "You're so excited!"

"W-what?" Kise asks, nearly stumbling because of the question. He shakes his head frantically while trying to grab for his phone, "No, no—Aominecchi is—he's just an old teammate from middle school."

"Really?" The man asks through a laugh; he holds Kise's phone away from the teen and smirks at the flustered boy. Out of all the models he works with, Kise is probably the most adorable. "Are you sure? Sounds like there's something more going on, Kise-chan~! He's asking where you are; were you supposed to have a secret rendezvous?"

"Stop teasing me," Kise groans; leaning over the chair his stylist strategically turned away from him in another attempt to snatch his phone. It feels incredibly hot in the room they're in; Kise wonders if it's because of the chunky sweater he's wearing. "Aominecchi isn't like that."

"Alright, alright." The man sighs, handing the teen the phone. He stands from the chair and turns it so that Kise can sit down. He's aware of Kise's various injuries; he doesn't want the boy hurting himself more because his stylist was in a playful mood.

With one hand covering his flushed face, Kise uses the other to unlock his phone and read Aomine's message, which indeed does read: _**Where are you? **_A hand is placed on his shoulder that guides him to sit—he does so without much thought as he types back a quick response.

_(4:48pm) Finishing up a job at TMA. Why? What's up? __｢__(__ﾟﾍﾟ__)_

_**(4:49pm) Satsuki wants to watch stupid dramas at my place; we'll be outside waiting, so don't take too long!**_

"Huh?" Kise asks, staring down at the message in surprise. Is Aomine really inviting him over to his house?

"What is it?" His stylist asks, peering over the top of Kise's head nosily.

"Aominecchi is inviting me to his house." Kise says. What's he supposed to say in response? It's not like Aomine is giving him much of a choice, but…

"Do you not want to go or something?" His stylist questions as he returns his attention to restyling Kise's hair.

"Of course I want to go! It's just—"Kise starts, pausing to sigh and slump in his seat. "I don't think my mom will let me; she doesn't really like Aominecchi much. I don't know why though—he's really great!"

"Is he shady?" The man behind him asks. Kise simply shakes his head without a second thought. His stylist continues with a laugh, "This is awful advice to give someone, but you're what? Sixteen? Lie to your mom if you want to go out with him that badly."

Lying to his mom? Kise knows that his eyes are wide; how could he even consider doing something like that? She would definitely see right through him and then she'd get angry with him and—and he _really_ wants to go. Kise sends a torn look over his shoulder at his stylist who only offers him a one-shouldered shrug and small smile.

What should he do?

* * *

_(5:06pm) Be there in a few! __ヽ__(*^__ω^__)__ﾉ_

"What kind of guy texts with all these weird faces?" Aomine grumbles to himself. Satsuki and he are seated outside of the modeling agency Kise is currently in. It's been a half hour since Kise had sent his last text; he should be getting out soon.

"They're cute though!" Momoi says, tapping quickly at the buttons of her phone; not even a minute later, Aomine's phone is buzzing in his pocket—when he checks the screen he sees a message from the girl beside him; it's filled with an endless string of emotes that appear to be laughing at him.

"Really?" He grunts, sending a sidelong glare at his childhood friend. He taps at his phone briefly before the screen of Satsuki's phone lights up.

_**(5:38pm) **__**凸**__**(**_▼へ▼_**）**_

"Dai-chan!" Momoi gasps, shoving her friend for his crudeness. In response, Aomine snickers.

A few more minutes of waiting and Aomine is about to spam Kise's inbox with an obscene amount of vulgar texts. Before he can press the 'send' button though, the sliding glass doors of the agency Satsuki and he are seated in front of opens. Both their heads turn to see Kise, who catches sight of them immediately and waves excitedly before continuing his slow and wobbly trek over to where they sit. From the corner of his eye, Aomine can see Satsuki raising her hands to cover her mouth and the apples of her cheeks flush from the girth of her smile.

Kise is walking—albeit on crutches, but the blonde is no longer confined to that wheelchair Aomine has resigned himself to seeing. It's a welcome change that causes the corner of his lips to pull upwards.

"You little shit." Aomine says, walking towards the model with a fond smirk; Satsuki is quick to follow after him, clasping on to his right arm and bouncing happily as they walk.

"Why didn't you tell us!?" Satsuki asks.

"It only happened a few hours ago—before this shoot, actually." Kise says, an embarrassed grin on his face. The model breaks eye contact with the girl in order to look down at the stairs he carefully has to climb down. "It's not that big of a deal; I still can't walk on my own."

"This is a start though." Satsuki says optimistically. "Are you going to be starting physical therapy soon?"

While Satsuki and Kise talk, Aomine watches each movement his former teammate makes. It's not that he expects Kise to fall—but he wants to be there if the idiot does. It wouldn't do anyone any good if the model were to injure himself again, after all. Aomine doesn't want to spend the rest of his high school years assisting a moron up and down stairs.

That's what he tells himself, at least.

Aomine lets his gaze travel from Kise's crutches to the boy's left leg that dangles lifelessly from where the blonde lifts it from the ground. He wonders if Kise ever will get better, or if the other's paralysis is permanent like the doctor's said it most likely was. He hopes not—that would be too cruel.

"Eh!? We're going to watch that one?" Kise exclaims, pleasantly surprised. "I've wanted to watch that, but it's been so busy that I haven't been able to! Ah~ let's hurry, let's hur-ryyy!"

The bottom of Kise's crutches catches the corner of one of the stairs, sending the boy stumbling forward. On instinct, the blonde tries to catch himself with his left leg, but the action does little more than cause him to fall downwards toward the ground. The look of betrayal that shows through the fear in Kise's golden eyes is painful—Aomine ignores the feeling in favor of moving forward in a flurry of movement to catch the model, wrapping his right arm tight around Kise's waist and stumbling awkwardly back down a step when the boy falls in to him.

_Clatter_. **Thump**. _Clatter._

"Watch it!" He says, turning his head to the side and talking in to Kise's hair; the blonde has his face buried in his shoulder and grips the material of Aomine's sweater as if it's a life-line.

"Sorry," Kise moans quietly, pushing himself away awkwardly and hopping on his right foot to help return his balance. With a forced laugh he continues, while gracelessly bending down to pick up his crutches, "I'm so clumsy with these things."

"Oh! Are you okay, Ki-chan?" Satsuki asks, hurrying up the steps herself in order to help Kise with retrieving his fallen crutches.

"I'm fine, no worries!" Kise says, playing off the accident as if it doesn't bother him—the fact the idiot is doing this annoys Aomine. It had taken three weeks to improve the blonde's mood; he doesn't want it going to shit again so soon.

With an agitated huff he grabs at Kise's waist in order to pull the other back towards him. It doesn't take much effort; Kise comes stumbling back and Aomine takes advantage of the other teen's imbalance. He bends at the knees and wraps his arms around Kise's upper thighs, hefting the other boy off the ground. At the sudden lack of footing, Kise squeals and grips tightly on to Aomine's shoulder and the back of his head; he grunts softly when his hair is pulled, but the sound is muffled by Kise's abdomen.

"A-Aominecchi!" Kise cries.

"Shut up," Aomine growls in return after turning his head to the side. With how Kise's upper body had curled around him it seemed as if the idiot was trying to suffocate him! He starts walking down the stairs as he continues, "If we were to wait for you, we'd never leave. Hurry up and grab his crutches, Satsuki—I want to get this drama crap over with."

He walks carrying Kise for nearly a block before he's persuaded to put the other down—he doesn't want to admit to himself that he would have gladly carried Kise further. It had always been great to see Kise struggle before, but now it leaves him feeling uneasy.

Aomine doesn't understand.

* * *

_**A/N: **Chapter 7 is considerably... unangsty compared to like, every other chapter thus far, hahaha. Hopefully it doesn't bother you too much! Anyways, I want to thank everyone again for their support; I am very thankful to every one. / Anyways, I have an important notice to leave; school is kicking my ass. Because of this, I definitely need to dedicate more time to it. ;A; I had no idea college would be like this! Panic panic! So yes, I will still be writing and updating on Fridays, but if I'm a little late don't be too upset with me? _

_Let's get on to the Drabble Drawing now though, yes? I promised three people would be picked; so congrats to _**Kokicchi**_, _**Shirasu**_, and _**BunniesDon'tTalk**_. You can either contact me through PM with your prompt or I will contact you in a few days. (: The prompts can be as broad or specific as you'd like, but I have to request that it won't be pwp, or heavily based on smut, although I can hint at it and... stuff. On another note, I am totally okay with writing depressing things (abuse, cutting, ED, rape), so if you want anything along those lines, don't be shy! Aokise is definitely the pair I want to stick to, but if you desperately want someone/other pairing, we can discuss it, no big deal! I look forward to hearing from you guys! C:_

_Thank you again to everyone! I wish I could just take a prompt from all of you, but let's see how these three go first. Please leave me a review if you have time! It's great to hear your thoughts/comments/questions/concerns/constructive criticisms! 'Til next week (hopefully ;A;)!_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Title:**__Just Breathe (8/?)_  
_**Rating:**__T  
__**Pairings:**__Eventual Aokise, possible others  
__**Warnings:**__Unbeta'd, possible OOCness? (I tried! ;A;)_  
_**Word Count:**__4502  
__**Summary:**__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time._  
_**A/N: **__Sorry for the wait, everyone! And thank you so much for those of you who reviewed/favorited/alerted/read the last chapter(s)! I really appreciate the support. (: Chapter 8 is filled with progress, if I do say so myself. At least in terms of pairings, ahahaha. D:_

* * *

"No, mom! I'm a commercial model; we both know that! I don't want to!"

"How are we supposed to further your career if you don't try new things?!"

How did it come to this? Everything had been fine before, but now his mother is in his face, purposefully intimidating him with quick strides forward until his back bumps in to the wall that had been far behind him earlier. Perfectly mascaraed eyes glare up at him in annoyance and impatience; he grips tightly on to his crutches while trying to lower and turn his head away from that look—whatever courage he had before is now gone. A hand roughly grabs his chin, forcing him to look forward again in to his mother's brown eyes.

"And don't you _dare_ use that tone with me, Ryouta! Do you not realize that I'm trying to help you!?" She yells, keeping her grip firm so that he doesn't even _think_ of looking away again. "This is your _career_! There's _nothing_ left for you!"

"That's—that's not true." He stutters, eyes flicking between looking towards the door to his room down the hall and his mother.

"What is there then? Basketball?" His mother scoffs, making an obvious show of looking towards his leg before glaring back up at him, "University?"

'Breathe,' He tells himself; it's the first time in a while that he's actively had to remind himself, but his breaths keep catching in his throat and his lungs are starting to burn—so do his eyes, now that he thinks about it. The constant berating from his mother weighs heavy on him; he wants to _get away_.

"I'm your mother, Ryouta; I know your limits. Take the damn job; get ahead of the game now so that when you finish high school you won't be a struggling nobody!" His mom spits, pulling her hand from his face bitterly and pacing across the room. Although she's again won the fight, she's still angry; Kise's relieved when she storms off towards her own room on the opposite end of the apartment.

'Breathe…' He tells himself, biting the corner of his lower lip to keep it from trembling. Just a few steps—he just needs to get to his room and then—

_**Slam!**_

It's his imagination, but he feels like the apartment complex they live in shakes from the force his mother puts in to shutting her door. Kise lets out a shuddering breath and quietly maneuvers his way in to his room, shutting the door softly behind him. Even though his room is small, he can't find the energy to walk himself to his bed; he leans his crutches against the wall before he slides his body down to the floor. With his arms wrapped tightly around his stomach, he takes a deep, shuddering breath—one after another. He just needs to remember to breathe, breathe, _breathe_. In a few hours his mom will apologize, and he'll forgive her, and he'll do what she wants and everything will be _fine_. Just like always.

For now though, it's not fine, and all he can do is drag his legs to his chest and bury his face in his knees.

'Breathe,' He tells himself, 'Just breathe.'

* * *

_Chop chop chop chop._

_Scrape. Scrape._

_Chop chop chop chop._

_Scrape… scrape…_

The kitchen is filled with the sounds of a meal being prepared. By the sink, Kise stands on his right foot while leaning heavily against the counter. In a meticulous manner, he runs a blade over the skin of a potato, peeling it slowly, carefully. Next to him, Sakurai deftly chops carrots and onions and the one potato Kise has managed to peel from the time they first started. It's strange—since Sakurai had given Kise the instructions twenty minutes ago, it had been silent, something that he's used to while cooking, but not while he's around his blonde friend. He wonders if maybe something happened that is troubling the other, but he isn't sure he has the right to bring it up. Not knowing what to do, Sakurai settles for watching Kise out of the corner of his eye in as subtle a way as he can.

'What should I say?' Sakurai thinks to himself frantically. The faraway look in Kise's eyes is unnerving! The brunette wonders what Imayoshi would say in a situation like this? Should he text his senpai about it? No, no. Besides the fact that the older boy is studying, Sakurai knows exactly what the other would say—something insensitive yet true, but entirely wrong for the situation.

Mentally, Sakurai shakes his head. Kise and he are friends; Sakurai needs to remember that! He can ask what's wrong; if Kise doesn't want to talk, he can always apologize to the taller teen afterwards.

"K-Kise-kun?" He stutters, placing his knife neatly a top the cutting board with the blade facing the wall. With nervous movements, he wipes his hands off on a towel that sticks out of his apron; when he gathers the courage to look up from where he had been busying his hands, he sees Kise looking at him curiously with a small smile on his lips that doesn't seem to reach his amber eyes.

"Mhm?" Kise prompts, tone patient as it always is while waiting for him to speak.

"I'm sorry if I'm overstepping, but is everything okay?" Sakurai asks, glancing between the vegetables he had finished cutting, Kise, and the floor beneath them. He continues, "You seem down, and you showed up so suddenly that it seems like… like something may be wrong. Maybe."

In response to Sakurai's concerned inquiry, Kise broadens his smile and shakes his head. "I'm fi—"

"I can tell Kise-kun is lying." Sakurai states boldly, but is quick to shrink back a step while clapping his hands over his mouth. They both stare at each other with wide eyes, not knowing what to say or do. Sakurai refuses to speak though, he already overstepped and he doesn't want to make things worse!

"I—there's been a lot going on." Kise admits, turning back to peeling the potato in his hands. Knowing this small amount, Sakurai takes a moment to fully look at his friend—the model's shoulders are drawn and tense, his eyes lackluster and filled with barely concealed exhaustion. More important than that though, Kise looks _sad_, something Sakurai hasn't had to see since the boy first transferred to Tōō. It's a terrible sight that makes his own chest hurt, because it seems like someone like Kise is never supposed to feel so torn down.

"What do you mean?" Sakurai asks, prompting gently.

Kise forces a smile on to his face; as much as Sakurai wants to tell the other to stop, that it's okay to not be okay, he can't find the courage. He wonders what would happen if he were to call Aomine? Would Kise talk to the other teen? Deep down he knows that Kise wouldn't, because as much as Kise complains about things, it's never about what's important.

For a brief moment, when Kise turns to look at him from over his shoulder, Sakurai thinks the blonde is going to tell him what's wrong. The look in those amber eyes is vulnerable and guilty and tired—full lips open briefly before closing and pulling in to a giddy grin.

"I finished peeling another one!" Kise exclaims, holding out a potato for Sakurai to see; it's a clear attempt at changing the subject that Sakurai can't help but go with. With a forced smile on his face, he takes the starchy vegetable from Kise and returns to the cutting board to cut it.

_Chop chop chop chop._

_Scrape. Scrape._

_Chop chop chop chop._

_Scrape… scrape…_

"Kise-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"If you ever want to talk… about anything, I'd be more than happy to listen." Sakurai says softly, "And I promise not to tell anyone anything."

"What brought this on?" Kise asks around a laugh; his focus remains mostly on the potatoes he peels, but he offers Sakurai a brief glance while quirking his head to the side.

"I'm sorry—I just want you to know that." Sakurai says, cheeks flushing a bit at how embarrassing the situation is. He frowns softly, keeping his eyes fixed on the cutting board and the nimble movement of his knife.

"Oh… well, thank you." Kise says, shooting Sakurai the first genuine smile he's seen from the model since the boy arrived.

Sakurai returns the smile and changes the subject for both their sakes, "Does Kise-kun know how to make fried rice?"

"Nope! The only thing I know how to do is peel potatoes, hahah!" Kise chuckles, raising his hands slightly from the sink to wave around the blade and potato he holds in his hands.

"Would you like to learn how?" Sakurai asks, laughing softly at Kise's actions.

"Eh? Of course, yeah!" Kise nods excitedly. With how wide his amber eyes are and how big his smile is, Sakurai is reminded of a child.

"I'll go grab the ingredients then; you can continue peeling those potatoes, if you want." Sakurai says before excusing himself to the other side of the kitchen. After wiping his hands off on the towel in his apron, he opens the fridge, pretending to shuffle around for the items he needs. After a careful glance over his shoulder to make sure Kise is preoccupied, he slips his phone from his pocket and opens a text.

_(3:27pm) I'm so sorry for bothering you, but Kise-kun is over and is sad and I don't know what to do- I'm sorry!_

As the text sends, Sakurai scoops up the needed ingredients and places them on the counter. By the time he has everything laid out in order to teach Kise how to prepare fried rice, his phone buzzes in his pocket.

(**3:35pm)** **I'll be over in twenty.**

* * *

It's been forty-five minutes and he's looked through just about every magazine available at the rehabilitation center. There's another fifteen minutes before Kise will be done; Aomine wonders why he didn't just go home and make Kise walk by himself to his apartment—it's not like Aomine lives _that_ far away. Sure, he had been the one to show up at Sakurai's house and offered to take Kise to his appointment before they went to his house to hang out—but he's _so bored._ With a disgruntled sigh he looks around him and spots a magazine with an exotic looking woman with sizeable breasts on the front; the model is no Mai-chan, but it'll do. With languid movements, he grabs the magazine and slumps in his seat, quickly flipping through pages that fail to catch his interest.

B-cup. A-cup. B-cup, B-cup, B-cup, guy, C-cup, B-cup, guy, guy—

What?

Aomine flips back to the page he just turned away from, eyes widening when he realizes just who he's looking at. It's Kise. The boy, like most of the other models before him, is dressed in what Aomine assumes are 'tribal' style clothes, something he vaguely recalls hearing Kise say was in fashion. When he hears tribal though, he thinks of loose cattle hides and fringy boots and feathers and—and what Kise wears in the photo is _not_ like that at all.

The dark brown leather pants sit low on Kise's hips and cling to him in a disturbingly distracting way; the leather splits down the middle of each leg, kept together only by a taut leather string corseting the two sides together—the pale skin of Kise's partially exposed thighs seems to draw more focus than the other details of the pants. Aomine shifts slightly in his seat and turns his focus to Kise's face, purposefully bypassing the other's jutting hipbones and the long beaded necklaces that fall across a bared chest and the way Kise's back _arches_ off of the white floor.

The first thing he notices about Kise's face is the dark blue makeup that is dusted in a strip across his eyes and the bridge of his nose, but then Aomine stares for a bit longer and begins to notice how utterly _debauched_ Kise looks with his blonde hair, littered with feathers and beads, strewn across his face and with his lips parted and quirked slightly in to a sensual smile and just—_damn_!

Should sixteen year olds be doing shoots like this?

More importantly, should Aomine be staring as intently as he is?

Regardless of that last thought, the power forward finds his gaze traveling across the smooth expanse of Kise's chest—the model looks thinner than what Aomine remembers from back in their middle school days. It's inevitable that Kise loses muscle tone, but should he really be so thin? Aomine can see the vague outline of ribs from how Kise has himself stretched out in the picture, and a shallow crevice that forms from the slope of Kise's hipbone that leads down in to tight leather pants; the weight loss isn't excessive or unattractive, Aomine actually—

"Ugh," Aomine says, tossing the magazine on to the table in front of him before shuffling a few seats over. What the fuck? He doesn't even want to _think_ about what he was thinking or where that train of thought was going.

To distract himself, he pulls his phone from his back pocket to text Satsuki, letting her know that he won't be going to her house for dinner that night, but that she's welcome to bring some food to his place and watch her damn dramas with Kise later if she'd like. It takes a few moments, but his childhood friend eventually sends him a text mockingly filled with excited faces.

'Annoying little—'Aomine thinks, but before he's able to send a text back, he hears a loud cry of, 'Aominecchi~! H-help me!' echoing throughout the empty facility.

The gasped wail startles him and sends his heart free-falling to his stomach. Did something happen? Is Kise hurt—_being_ hurt? A quiet yet feral growl pulls itself from his throat as he hurriedly pushes himself out of his seat; when he starts running in the direction he thinks Kise's voice came from, his feet thud harshly against the carpeted floors. That _idiot_! Always getting himself in to situations he can't handle himself and making trouble for Aomine and—and—

"Moron; what are you calling me for!?" He asks irritably, his dead sprint stopping abruptly when he sees Kise laying on the floor and grinning at him. "I thought something was wrong!"

_Of course_ Kise hadn't actually needed his help; the idiot was just complaining!

"But something is wrong! I'm being abused!" Kise whines as the physical therapist bends and twists his legs this way and that.

"I'll show _you_ abuse." Aomine growls, crossing his arms over his chest as he watches the therapist push Kise's left leg until it stacks a top the blonde's chest. Sakurai's earlier text about Kise being upset must have been a lie—there's just no way _this guy_ is in emotional turmoil. "Just shut up and do your stretches properly. Everyone knows how limber you are, so there's no use in complaining."

"You two are so lively." The physical therapist laughs, turning to offer Aomine a smile. "You are a good friend a Kise-kun, yes? Would you like to learn how to help him stretch?"

Aomine wants to tell the guy no, _fuck_ no, that Kise and he aren't close at all, but the idiot blonde looks up at him with wide, hopeful and pleading eyes that makes Aomine inwardly groan. In an act of compliance to the stupid idea, he walks over, glaring grumpily at the model all the while. Why isn't the idiot's mom with him? She should be the one learning this crap.

"Aominecchi is so sweet," Kise starts to drawl, but Aomine levels him with a glare as he kneels that causes the blonde to trail off with an awkward laugh.

"Very sweet indeed, Kise-kun." The therapist chuckles before turning towards Aomine with a professional, detached smile. Aomine figures that after a week or so longer of being around Kise, the fakeness behind the practiced look will be more genuine. The man continues, "Now, Aomine-kun, scoot a bit closer—good. Now you just need to—"

The instructions are methodical and time-consuming, but Aomine makes sure to remember everything coming from the physical therapist's mouth, makes sure to burn it in to his memory so he won't forget. As Aomine works with Kise's right leg, he's told why certain stretches are being done over others, and how, eventually, Kise will move on to other means of recovery; although Aomine doesn't understand any of the technical language, he gets that this is something that can make Kise better, and that's all that matters to him.

As the therapist instructs him on where he should place his hands—on top of Kise's knee and on the other boy's upper calf—Kise lays on the ground watching his companions in a bored manner. Even while listening to the physical therapist though, Aomine notices when a mischievous spark suddenly lights up Kise's eyes. Before he can call the model out on the suspicious look though, the blonde shifts his foot and pinches Aomine's ear between his pedicured toes.

The surprised yelp Aomine lets out is something he'll deny having happened until the day he dies, but with how Kise laughs, Aomine can't find himself feeling mad for as long as he probably should. He sighs and rolls his eyes, promising himself he'll get his revenge later.

_Ring_.

"Ah—I'll be right back. Start on his left leg for now, okay?" The therapist instructs before excusing himself and leaving the room. Aomine sighs in response while gently lowering Kise's right leg to the mat they're situated upon.

"I'll get you back for that." He says, glaring down at Kise while he lifts the other's left leg. The blonde simply smiles at him before sighing contentedly and closing his eyes. Aomine doubts the other is taking a nap at a time like this, but he doesn't mind the other's silence. What he does mind, is the dead weight of Kise's calf as he maneuvers it in to various forms of stretches. The physical therapist had sounded positive about recovery, but with how Kise is now—

'Shut up,' He berates himself, mildly upset with his pessimistic thinking. Kise will be fine—the idiot is going to get better and play basketball with him again and everything will be like it always was—maybe even better.

With a soft sigh, Aomine repositions his hands on Kise's leg before leaning forward carefully with the weight of his body, pushing a bent leg towards Kise's chest. Beneath him, Kise makes a face of discomfort that tells Aomine to ease back for a moment before pressing forward again. The expressions that Kise makes are distracting, so distracting that Aomine finds himself once again pushing too far. His actions cause Kise to gasp quietly and furrow his brows before peering up at him through long blonde eyelashes and suddenly Aomine recalls the photo from the magazine in the waiting area. It causes his stomach to churn, but Aomine ignores the annoying feeling in favor of offering Kise some respite by pulling back.

"My bad," He murmurs; Kise smiles at him and tells him not to worry about it before launching in to a tangent about what dramas they're going to watch later and how he needs to leave to go home by a certain hour. Through this, Aomine can only think, '_What the Hell?'_

* * *

"Hff," Kise sighs as he submerges his body in the warm water of Aomine's bath. He's utterly exhausted; the heat and steam surrounding him only serve to make him sleepier. Through half lidded eyes, Kise stares at the wavering water surrounding him, peering past it after a moment to stare at his left thigh that conveniently hides his useless lower leg. With a brief glance towards the locked door, Kise takes a deep breath and focuses, focuses—

No matter how much effort he puts in to it, his left leg won't move, not even the toes.

Before emotions can overcome him, Kise plunges himself underwater, staying there until his lungs burn and he has no choice but to breathe. As he comes back up, he chokes on a bit of water which causes him to cough and sputter loudly; luckily Aomine is preoccupied with Momoi though, so no one comes to check on him.

He rests his head on the edge of the tub, staring blankly at the tiled walls around him. It may be impossible, but he really wants to walk again. He wants to walk and play basketball and see his old teammates and be able to do runway like his mom wants. What he wouldn't do for the physical therapy to start paying off—he's tired of being patient; he's tired of being hopeful.

Kise is just so _damn_ tired.

* * *

It's while he's wrestling Satsuki for the remote control that Kise comes back in to his room. He can't actually _see_ the boy, considering Satsuki has him in a headlock which forces him to face the opposite direction, but she calls out a loud, 'Ki-chan!' that he's positive his neighbors cringe at, so Aomine is sure the other is present. With a grunt, he manages to pry Satsuki's arm from around his neck; while the other girl gushes to Kise about how excited she is to finish the season of whatever they're watching, Aomine tries to regain the breath he had lost while in his friend's hold.

"Ugh," He complains, pulling himself from off the floor to plop on to his bed. As he rubs his sore neck, he spares Kise a glance; the boy leans heavily against his crutches and looks about ready to fall asleep where he stands. In a gruff voice he says, "Sit your model ass down already."

"Uwa~ I'm going, I'm going." Kise laughs as he hobbles over to Aomine's bed. It takes a while for the blonde to lean his crutches against the wall and then pull his leg up on to the bed after sitting, but he manages. The sight is pitiful; Kise sends him a bright smile upon noticing his staring, as if such a fake look will ease Aomine's concerns. It annoys him that Kise still lies so blatantly to him, but he doesn't say anything—instead he grabs a magazine featuring Mai-chan and begins flipping through pages as bubbly music begins playing from his television.

Episodes start and end; they blur together and Aomine loses track of how many they've watched. Having gotten bored of his magazine hours ago, he discards it in favor of rolling on to his stomach and watching the damn girly and cliché show his friends seem enraptured with. It's really not all that good, but the two seated on either side of him bounce and squeal and gasp and fake cry on multiple occasions. As he's nodding off during the middle of some person's date with their best friend's love interest, something falls across his back, causing him to wheeze.

"The fuck?" He asks, lifting his upper body with his forearms and looking behind him. Kise lies on top of him, a broad grin on his face. He's about ready to growl at the other to get off before Satsuki flops down on top of Kise. The weight is probably something he can support, but the suddenness of the situation causes him to fall unceremoniously on his face.

"Uff!" Kise huffs when Satsuki falls on top of him before he starts to giggle; Aomine can feel the vibrations against his back—it's strange, weird, but nice because Kise is laughing and seemingly genuinely happy.

"I'm being crushed," Aomine complains, trying in vain to roll over and throw his friends off of him. Instead of being thrown off, both Kise and Satsuki follow his movements while laughing at his struggle. A small chuckle escapes him too, although he'll deny it, before he forces his body from the mattress and sways to and fro in order to shake the two off. It takes a while; arms wrap around his chest and hands cling to his shirt, but eventually Satsuki and Kise fall off with amused cries. As revenge, Aomine throws himself across the both of them and an impromptu wrestling match starts, only interrupted when crying begins echoing from the television and Satsuki squeals about how she missed something important. It must be a sight, her rolling over him and on to the floor in order to get to the remote to rewind; a soft snicker escapes him and a fond smile pulls at his lips.

"Aominecchi~ you're heavy~" Kise groans from where Aomine has him pinned to the bed. With how Kise's hair is mussed and how the boy's cheeks are flushed from exertion, Aomine unwillingly recalls the magazine picture he had seen in the rehabilitation center. As Kise pants softly beneath him, Aomine finds that his mouth goes dry.

_The fuck is wrong with him!?_

"Yeah? Now you know how I felt when you and Satsuki were attempting to smother me with my own bedding." Aomine quips, offering Kise a smirk in order to cover the torrent of feelings that plague him. The blonde pouts in return and Aomine rolls his eyes before falling to his side to lie beside his idiot friend. They return to watching the drama in peace; Kise rolls over until his body is pressed dangerously close to Aomine's own; the power forward wonders if it's a conscious action or not. He's tempted to shove the idiot away, but it's not like there's anything wrong with the situation—it's comfortable, in a way, much to Aomine's confusion.

As the credits of another episode begin rolling, Satsuki glances back at him. A broad smile slowly lights up her face; Aomine quirks a brow in response, but she only shakes her head while pointing to Kise.

"Is he asleep?" Aomine asks, not wanting to move lest he wake the other up. Satsuki nods and Aomine sighs while wondering what they should do. Regardless of how playful and happy Kise had been acting earlier that day, Aomine knows the other is exhausted—he doesn't want to wake the idiot up, but said idiot's mom will raise _Hell_ if her model baby doesn't get home. After another moment of debate, he carefully shuffles away from Kise before crawling off the bed.

"Give me my phone." Aomine says, motioning to the dark blue mobile near where Satsuki sits. She hands it to him and he immediately looks through his contacts.

"What are you doing, Dai-chan?" Satsuki asks, pulling herself off the floor and stretching. It's already late—Aomine will need to walk her home.

"Calling Sakurai." He says simply, a devious smirk on his face, "I'm going to make him call the she-devil."

Making someone like Sakurai call a bitch like Kise's mom may be a bit mean, but Aomine would rather it be his teammate than him. He also wants to ask about how Kise had been sad earlier, because the model had seemed fine for the most part while with him. Later, after the call as he's walking Satsuki back to her house, she jokingly says that it's _because_ Kise was with him that the boy was so content.

Surprisingly, Aomine is okay with that.

* * *

_**A/N: **Thank you guys again so much for your continued support and patience. ;w; You're all the best! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. C: Kise definitely needs to get some closure soon, poor bb, but Aomine- we're getting somewhere with him, guys! ;D My plan is that by his second year he will come to terms with his feels and then get down with his bad pervy self and woo the fuck out of his boo. l: Hopefully everyone will stay with me and this story to see that! Anyhoo, thank you again to those who reviewed/read/etc. Oh! And tumblr; I was actually messaged by people and it was beautiful and inspiring and I love everyone so much! ;A;_

_Next chapter I plan on bringing in other pairs. One in particular... we'll see how that goes. C: If you have time, please review! Let me know your thoughts or if you have any questions/concerns/constructive criticism/whatnot. 'Til next time, dear readers!_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Title:**__Just Breathe (9/?)_  
_**Rating:**__T  
__**Pairings:**__Eventual Aokise, Imayoshi/Sakurai, subtle practically nonexistent but still there Kagakuro  
__**Warnings:**__Unbeta'd, possible OOCness? (I tried! ;A;)_  
_**Word Count:**__4646  
__**Summary:**__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time._  
_**A/N: **__This chapter really emphasizes the 'slice-of-life' feel of this story, ahahaha. Like it's blatant to the point it may be a bit painful; hopefully you guys still enjoy it though? I hope so! I like writing things you guys enjoy; with how much support everyone gives me, I feel it's the least I can do. ): So yes, my fingers are crossed this chapter is okay, and if it's not... the next chapter will have more action (as you will see once you get to the end). C: Anyhoo, thank you to everyone who read/reviewed/etc. last chapter, I really appreciate it!_

* * *

"Uwa~! Why does Aominecchi keep leaving?" Kise whines while draping himself despondently over the top of his desk. It's been five consecutive days with Aomine disappearing at break and during lunch—it's really frustrating! Kise doesn't know if he did something to bother the other boy or not, but he figures he must have. Why would Aomine be avoiding him otherwise? It was probably because he outstayed his welcome the last time Aomine, Satsuki and he were hanging out at the former's house. With a loud sigh, he turns his head so that his cheek rests against his desk; in front of him, Sakurai laughs softly at him. He tilts his head so that Sakurai can see him and pouts, "Hey, it's not nice to laugh at someone else's pain, Sakurai-kun! I seriously think Aominecchi hates me."

"He doesn't hate you, Kise-kun." Sakurai says before eating one of the vegetables in his bento.

"But he's never around anymore." Kise sighs.

"It's only been a week." Sakurai comments idly, taking another bite of his food while watching Kise roll from one side of his desk to the other. "I'm sorry though."

"A week too long!" Kise groans, ignoring his friend's apology in favor of settling on his left side so that he can clearly see both his friend and the door Aomine will probably walk through right before class starts. A hand awkwardly pats his head and Kise beams up at the brunette who tries to comfort him and his incessant complaints.

"I'm sure he's not purposefully ignoring Kise-kun." Sakurai says, "He could just have business to take care of—"

"_Business_; that's a nice thing to call it." A voice from behind him chuckles; Kise jumps a bit and straightens in his seat, turning in time to see the retired Tōō captain stride past and grab a seat that he pulls next to Sakurai. For a moment, Kise stares at the upperclassman before turning to Sakurai.

"Ah, Imayoshi-san? Shouldn't you be studying with the others?" Sakurai asks, concern lacing his tone.

A loud sigh escapes past Imayoshi's lips, "Are you trying to get me to leave? After I came all this way to visit you too, how cruel!"

"N-n-no! No, I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry!" Sakurai says frantically, only stopping when his senpai starts chuckling at his predictable antics.

While the two talk, Kise stares in wonder. He's not sure he's ever felt quite so invisible before. It's a strange feeling—does Kurokocchi feel like this? If so, it must be as fun as it is awkward.

"You can make it up to me later," Imayoshi starts, causing Sakurai to flush. Kise wonders why his friend looks so red-faced after such a comment, but figures it's an inside joke. While Sakurai shuffles in his seat, Imayoshi turns his attention to Kise, looking through squinted eyes at the model, judging him with a saccharine smile. In a polite voice he says, "I take it you're Kise-kun? I've heard quite a bit about you. I understand why Sakurai befriended you—you have a very nice face."

The jab is subtle, and probably a part of Kise's imagination. It's true that he likes his face, but he does worry that a lot of the people he befriends only tolerate him because of his above average appearance and the popularity that gains him. With an awkward laugh, he nods, "Yes, it's very nice to meet you…"

"Imayoshi Shouchi." The other says, leaning forward to rest his elbow on Kise's desk and prop his chin a top his palm.

"Imayoshi-san." Kise says, offering the boy what he hopes is a genuine, natural looking smile.

"How is your leg? Are you able to walk at all?" Imayoshi asks and Kise frowns self-consciously while subtly pushing his left leg beneath his chair by using his right foot.

"It's—"He starts, ignoring Sakurai's frantic apologies for their senpai's insensitive comment.

"Hey four-eyes, stop being an ass." Someone calls from the door; with the rough and low tone, Kise knows who it is immediately and whatever discomfort he felt from the earlier comment fades.

"Eh? That's not nice to say to your senpai." Imayoshi says, faking offense.

"Try acting like a senpai and maybe I'll treat you like one." Aomine quips, narrowing his eyes at the other who raises his hands in surrender. The power forward scoffs in response and lazily falls in to his seat. Seeing the pair's interactions, Kise thinks back to Kasamatsu and their old exchanges. He misses him—he misses everyone, actually; he really wants to visit, but he hasn't talked to any of the Kaijō guys since that day a couple of months ago. They're probably all still mad at him, as much as he wishes they wouldn't be. Kise still hasn't thought of anything he could do to possibly make up for losing their last game of the season.

Everyone at Tōō that he's friends with would tell him that he's done nothing that requires making up for, but regardless of what they say and think, Kise knows that he needs to. For himself or for his old team, he doesn't know, but he desperately wants the closure he had run away from all those weeks ago.

"—ise-kun? Kise-kun~?" Imayoshi drawls and Kise snaps out of his thoughts with a flurry of blinks. He looks at the dark haired upperclassman confusedly for a brief moment before a sheepish smile spreads across his face. The other boy sighs dejectedly and makes a passing comment about kouhais not being cute anymore.

"Sorry!" Kise says, offering Imayoshi his full attention; beside him, Aomine fails to bite back a snicker.

"I asked when your leg would be better; Tōō can use a strong player like you on the team." Imayoshi says. It's amazing how someone retired from the basketball club can be so active and dedicated to it still; Kise admires that quality, it reminds him of Kasamatsu.

"Um," He says, trying to think of something not overly pessimistic to say. It would be easy to repeat what the doctor had told him, but he's not ready to hear the words come out of his own mouth; Kise likes to believe he'll recover. "Hopefully eventu—"

"Soon." Aomine says decisively, the volume of his voice overpowering Kise's meek and unsure response. In surprise, Kise turns with wide eyes to look at the other who briefly side glances at him before returning his attention to Imayoshi. "He'll recover soon."

The sureness of Aomine's voice makes Kise beam an embarrassing grin; the blonde can feel his cheeks flush from its girth. He wonders how Aomine can be so cool and manage to make someone so _happy_, even without trying.

"Yes, soon." He agrees, and this time it's Aomine who looks surprised. The look is quickly covered with a smug smirk that Kise turns his attention away from after a glance.

Imayoshi smirks at him in approval and nods, saying that he's looking forward to seeing his underclassmen play the following two years. Kise wonders if he really will be playing by then, if at all, or if he'll stay at Tōō or return to Kaijō. He wonders how Aomine would react to that, if such a day happened and Kise made the decision to leave—would the dark haired boy be mad? Upset? Would Aomine be angry with him for even thinking about doing such a thing? A new guilt settles in the pit of his stomach as he ponders.

What _would_ he do?

* * *

The streets of Tokyo aren't nearly as crowded as they probably should be on a Friday afternoon, but Aomine doesn't mind, especially with Kise hopping on crutches beside him. Just the mere thought of maneuvering through busy crowds with the blonde as he is gives Aomine a headache—and possible heart attacks. Even with the minimal amount of people walking around, Kise has managed to stumble partially in to the street three times already. After the third time, Aomine made sure to force the boy to walk on his opposite side so that the idiot would have to get through him if he wanted to try unknowingly killing himself again.

"—and then we can go to this store about a block away because they sell really nice pants and then afterwards there was this sweater that I really liked nearby this bakery that's near the park and I was thinking that we could go there to pick something up for my mom and then we can take a rest in the park before we—"

"Shut. Up!" Aomine groans loudly, attracting the attention of a few people across the street. In order not to punch his crippled friend, he keeps his hands buried deep in his pockets while gritting his teeth to keep from yelling more. As glad as he is that Kise seems to be moving on from all the shit that had happened two months ago, he wishes the other had learned the joys of companionable _silence_. Aomine is fine with listening—he listens to Satsuki's girl problems all the time, but Kise—Kise is leaps and bounds beyond his childhood friend. He slouches a bit and lets out an aggravated sigh, "Do you not need to breathe?"

"Of course I do, Aominecchi!" Kise laughs, but takes Aomine's less than subtle hint and tones down his constant chatter. Instead of continuing his tirade of what he wants to do, he focuses his attention straight ahead and pouts, "It's your fault I'm talking so much though; you've been ignoring me this whole week."

"Ah? That's because…" Aomine starts, turning to look at Kise only to see the model looking up at him through blonde eyelashes with a pouty expression and—ugh! This is why he hasn't been around; instead choosing to drown his time with rendezvouses on the roof with girls he can't be bothered to remember the names of. He figured being with big busted, slutty girls would set his mind straight, but it seems something inside of him rejects any and all progress he may have made in favor of this pretty boy _idiot_. Just what the fuck is up with him!?

In a movement filled with annoyance, Aomine turns to face forward, glaring at nothing in particular, "You have Sakurai; I don't have to be around all the time."

"It's nice with you around," Kise says, voice considerably less annoying than it was a minute ago. The words the blonde chooses to use makes Aomine's stomach flip, but then Kise continues and the pleasant swoop becomes a plummeting crash. "Or have I done something wrong that makes Aominecchi not want to be around? If so, I'm sorry."

For a terse moment, Aomine finds himself at a loss for words, because if anyone is at fault, it's _him_. He takes a hand out of his pocket and scratches the back of his head, sighing awkwardly as his hand slips to rub his neck anxiously, "Tch, don't be stupid. I've just been busy with some things."

"So I haven't done anything wrong?" Kise asks, voice too hopeful; it leaves Aomine to wonder if the model is still blaming himself for what wasn't his fault two months ago—since Kise is an idiot, Aomine doesn't doubt that Kise is.

"No," Aomine starts, "Unless you think asking stupid questions and assuming equally stupid things is wrong—in which case, yeah. You've been doing a _lot_ wrong."

The comment is taken in jest, as expected, but Aomine hopes that Kise takes the words in to consideration. For a few feet, they walk in a comfortable silence, the only sound coming from the bustle of people around them. Considering Kise needs to go shopping, it's a shame Satsuki couldn't come with them; she'd end up being more help than Aomine. He heaves a sigh and looks towards his friend, "Why do you need new clothes, anyways? You're a model; shouldn't you have more clothes than you can wear?"

"As much as I wouldn't mind being a walking mannequin for clothing brands, that's not how it works for most of us." Kise says, disappointment evident in his tone. The power forward beside him can't understand why someone would want to parade around in such strange clothes, but he supposes those pants from the magazine in the rehabilitation center weren't _that_ awful. "But to answer your question, I've lost some weight so my pants are all too big."

"Obviously—you don't eat anything." Aomine scoffs.

"Do to." Kise says.

"Not." Aomine growls back, but sees Kise smiling and knows he's being pulled in to a childish game they've outgrown years ago. He shakes his head and continues, "I'm serious; you looked fine, no need to lose weight for some job."

Kise says nothing in response to the comment, which makes Aomine wonder if Kise really _is_ cutting back on food for the sake of being thinner. But he thought only female models were concerned about such a frivolous matter?

"Ah, Aominecchi! Here, here," Kise says, grabbing on to the sleeve of his blazer to stop him from continuing his trek forward. Aomine turns and sees a small boutique that he's visited with Satsuki on occasion; it's filled with clothes to the point it's uncomfortable and he's not sure he wants to make himself suffer—he can sit outside or something. Before he's able to ask if he can lie in the street and get run over instead, Kise is awkwardly pulling him towards the door that the idiot struggles with opening. With a grumble, Aomine gives in and opens the door for Kise. Better to get it over with sooner than later.

But Kise is a model; a model that _likes_ clothes and trying them on, so fuck Aomine's plans. He's not sure how many times the idiot or the employees of the store have been in and out of the dressing room bringing new clothes in and taking old, rejected clothes out—but it feels like it's been forever. The chairs he's lying across start to get uncomfortable and make his back ache, but he feels too lazy to roll over on to his side in the direction of Kise's dressing room. It's too depressing to see that he won't be leaving anytime soon.

This is only the first store, too.

"Aominecchi~ I don't know what to get!" Kise cries from behind a closed door.

"The woes of being a model and looking good in everything," Aomine says blandly while staring blankly at the painted ceiling. He continues mockingly, "Life must be so hard."

"Since you understand what I'm feeling, you should help me!" Kise calls; from where Aomine is a few feet away, he can hear Kise stumbling around after losing his balance.

"Get what you came here for." Aomine says, turning his head to look at the paneled wooden door separating them. "Didn't you say you needed pants?"

"But I want everything." Kise says childishly.

"Is your closet even big enough for half the stuff you want?" Aomine asks; a few feet away, Kise goes quiet as if contemplating. There's a discreet sound of Kise muttering to himself, possibly about somehow shoving everything in to fit, before the blonde opens the door to the room and hobbles out in his school uniform. Without acknowledging Aomine in the slightest, Kise turns to face the explosion that had happened in the dressing room. At the sight, Aomine quietly moves to stand beside his friend for a better look while staring in slight horror. The last time he saw something like this was when Satsuki had a 'date' with Tetsu back in middle school.

"If I were able to keep stuff at your place—"Kise starts, turning to Aomine with a wide grin.

Aomine scoffs and shakes his head, "No fucking way."

* * *

Two stores and a bakery stop later and Aomine looks ready to throw in the proverbial towel. It's funny watching someone as gruff as Aomine walking with a multitude of bags that don't even belong to him out of sheer consideration for Kise's situation; he refrains from laughing though, lest he upset the power forward and get stuck carrying everything himself. They walk through the park quietly and at a leisurely pace; it amazes Kise how nice the afternoon has been—he's sad that it's ending so soon.

"Let's sit for a while," Aomine says, putting all of Kise's bags on to a nearby bench.

"That sounds nice; I was getting a little tired," Kise laughs while carefully lowering himself to sit. A relieved sigh escapes him as he stretches out his right leg and both of his arms. Once he's done, he looks at Aomine and notices the other looking with furrowed brows in the direction of the courts. Puzzled, Kise asks, "Aominecchi?"

"Hey!" The other yells in response—not at Kise, but at the people meters away playing a one-sided one-on-one. Aomine's voice seems to echo, and after a brief pause from the basketball players, a loud 'Ah!?' can be heard shouted back at them.

Looking more closely… Kise thinks he recognizes the pair.

"Eh? Kurokocchi!?" Kise exclaims, hopping happily towards the boy while occasionally remembering to use his crutches. It's disappointing, but he can't hug his friend with the crutches he's stuck carrying—instead, Kise is left to anxiously shift side to side while the pale boy looks at him with a small trace of bemusement on his features. "Kurokocchi, I missed you~!"

"Good evening, Kise-kun." Kuroko greets politely before bowing slightly, "I'm sorry though, Kise-kun. Although I'm glad you're feeling better, I did not miss you that much."

"So cruel!" Kise cries, but the grin on his face gives him away; Kuroko, in turn, offers him a small smile that makes Kise's heart feel like its soaring. He turns to Kagami to give the taller boy a proper greeting before stopping awkwardly, voice catching in his throat. He remembers the hospital and the uncomfortable, tense note they were both left at—Kagami may still be angry with him, may not want to even see him—"H-hey~ Kagamicchi!" He tries anyways, smile strained from anxiety.

Kagami doesn't respond, doesn't even so much as _look_ at him and Kise feels his heart drop. Maybe things aren't as good as he had been hoping they would be—maybe time _doesn't_ heal things after all.

"I'm—um—"Kise starts, trying to fill the silence; he doesn't know what to say though. It seems his mind has gone completely blank.

"Why are you being so quiet, _Baka_gami?" Aomine continues in a growl, filling in for where Kise had left off. The suddenness of the power forward appearing beside him startles Kise, but he's relieved at the same time.

"Kagami-kun is embarrassed." Kuroko says, causing his light to sputter from where he had been standing, scuffing his shoes awkwardly against the ground. "He's been very concerned for Kise-kun since we last saw you; he hadn't been able to express that at the time."

"O-oh? Really?" Kise asks hopefully, turning to look back at Kagami. The other boy still looks away, but Kise is able to catch the flustered blush across the boy's cheeks. Whatever tenseness that was in the air seems to dissipate immediately upon a curt nod from Seirin's ace.

"Sorry for how I acted; I hadn't been thinking." Kagami says, chancing a glance at Kise.

"Damn right you hadn't!" Aomine interrupts, shoving his friend roughly to the side.

In retaliation, Kagami shoves Aomine back. The look of annoyed frustration on the red head's face matches the tone of his voice perfectly, "How would you know, _Aho_mine!? You were asleep!"

While the two argue, steadily creeping closer to the courts and a forgotten basketball, Kise laughs to himself. It's funny how everything can be fixed so easily—with only a few words. He wonders if a few words would make things better with his old teammates; probably not, but it's a nice thought. After steeling himself, he grins and calls, "Kagamicchi!"

"Huh?" The boy turns to face him, temporarily forgetting about his bickering with Aomine.

"When I'm better, let's play again; I'll beat you!" Kise says; in return, Kagami flashes him a bright smile and a curt nod before returning his attention to Aomine.

"Ah—I'm happy." Kise sighs, backpedalling from where he stands to move to the bench Aomine had relocated his bags to. When he sits, Kuroko is walking towards him. He smiles at the smaller boy and continues, "Funny how I've been living here for so long and haven't seen you!"

"Yes. I was quiet surprised too—I had expected Kise-kun to visit after only a few days." Kuroko says, sitting beside the blonde and watching the courts ahead of them. "Is everything okay?"

"So Kurokocchi _did _miss me—!"

"Please do not misunderstand me, Kise-kun."

As if not even hearing the denial, Kise continues in a bubbly voice, "Everything is really good though! Aominecchi has been very nice and helpful since I arrived; Momoicchi too! And I started physical therapy a week or so ago. There hasn't been any progress yet, but the physician sounds hopeful. Oh! I've recently started modeling for editorial magazines too—you should look for me in them, Kurokocchi! They've been turning out good so far."

Despite the optimistic rant, Kuroko doesn't appear too convinced, "That's good; I'm glad. A better way to word my question probably would have been, 'What's wrong?' though."

"What do you mean?" Kise asks, turning to look down at his friend.

"Kise-kun looks happy, but as soon as Aomine-kun went to play with Kagami-kun, you seemed to become quiet sad." Kuroko points out.

"Oh, it's not because Aominecchi went to play with Kagamicchi," Kise chuckles, "I was just—thinking. About stuff."

"Oh." Kuroko says simply, not prying in the least. In a way, it makes Kise want to talk more than when people try to meddle with him and his affairs. His right heel taps anxiously against the walkway.

"Do you—"Kise starts, but feels embarrassed asking such a question so stops. His friend looks to him with a blank, yet quizzical expression on his face, prompting him to continue. After taking a small breath, Kise finds enough resolve to finish what he had earlier started, "Does Kurokocchi think it's stupid that I want to see my old teammates again?"

"Of course not," Kuroko says.

"The only problem is that they're really angry with me; I let them down and then ran away to Tokyo without taking responsibility." Kise says; it's strange talking about something that had happened so long ago, but he's never really _talked_ about it before. "I'm afraid that even if I went to apologize, they wouldn't forgive me. But, I really want to see them again—talk to them." Kise says as he slouches forward; his hands rub anxiously against his pants before they fist the material tightly. "I miss them so much, and I feel terrible for how things ended; I don't want them to hate me."

"Kise-kun is very kind; the only reason you wouldn't be forgiven is because you didn't do anything wrong." Kuroko says, returning his attention to the basketball match in front of them. For a moment the boy pauses, but he continues, "Actually, I'm sorry—I didn't think it through before I spoke. The only apology they will accept is one for your dishonesty to them. Kise-kun has a terrible flaw of not being honest when it's most needed."

As much as Kise wants to deny Kuroko's statement, he knows it's true.

"If Kise-kun wants to see them, he should go." Kuroko says, bringing clarity to a matter that suddenly seems more simple than before. Kise loves the smaller boy; Kurokocchi will always be amazing. "I'd just keep in mind that some people might not be too happy about such a decision."

Huh? Wasn't Kuroko just saying that he should visit his teammates, even if they were still upset with him? Kise is confused now—how can he do what he wants while being thoughtful of their feelings? If he does that, he'll remain in the same position he's been in for the past two months.

"Aomine-kun and Kise-kun have grown closer recently." Kuroko says offhandedly, but Kise doesn't catch the subtle hint the other offers. Why would Aomine get mad at him for seeing the Kaijō team anyways?

"Yeah! It's really nice, although he ignored me for a whole five days! Can you believe that, Kurokocchi?" Kise complains loudly enough for the two boys playing on the court to hear; the statement causes Aomine to awkwardly fumble the ball.

"I can, actually." Kuroko says bluntly, swaying a bit when Kise throws his arms around him and fake cries in to his narrow shoulders. Kise is too dense, it's troublesome.

* * *

By the time he gets home, it's nearing eight o'clock. Aomine walks him as far as the elevator before handing off the bags to Kise, claiming that he can't go further because of Kise's mom maybe being about. It's fun sneaking around, but Kise doesn't want to make Aomine do anything uncomfortable so he lets the boy leave without harassing him. Before the power forward can get out of earshot, Kise calls out to him, offering the other a bright smile and wave that earns little more than an eye roll in return.

'Aominecchi is so cool~!' He thinks to himself while making his way to his apartment; it takes a while for him to let himself in, but he manages without dropping anything. Everything is dark in the apartment, but his mother's high heels are in the entryway so she must be around.

"Mom?" He calls, awkwardly toeing off his shoes before making his way further in to the apartment. His mother doesn't seem to be around anywhere, so Kise drops off his bags in his room before returning to the kitchen to place the small cake he bought his mom on the counter. With a sigh, he looks around again, spotting two feet poking off the end of the couch parallel to the kitchen.

"Mom?" Kise asks, making his way over to peer over the back of the sofa. His mom lay on her stomach, fast asleep and still in her work clothes. Kise almost laughs, but refrains from fear of waking her up—she works hard, so she deserves to rest. He goes to fetch a blanket from the closet before returning and draping it over her.

"Ryouta?" She mumbles groggily, pushing herself slightly off of the couch to peer up at him with squinted eyes, "What time is it?"

"Eight; you should go back to sleep." He says.

"Have you eaten? I noticed you left the lunch I bought you in the fridge again." She says through a stifled yawn.

"I'll make something now." Kise says, making his way in to the kitchen. As he opens the fridge, he suddenly remembers the gift he bought his mom, "Oh! I bought you a cake from that bakery!"

There's no response; he figures his mom fell back asleep. Chuckling, he grabs the lunch he purposefully forgot that morning and moves to the counter. After a few bites though, the hunger he felt seems to subside like it has been the last two months. He sighs and pokes at the rice half-heartedly before deciding he'll eat it tomorrow. When he puts it back in the fridge, he makes sure to hide it with the boxed cake he got his mom; she'll surely be happy when she sees it tomorrow!

With a wide grin on his face, Kise makes his way in to his room to organize his new clothes. The distraction of organization and bathing doesn't take nearly as long as he had wished, because now he sits on the edge of his bed, phone in hand and desperately wanting to press 'call.'

Should he? His thumb hesitates before pressing down.

"**Hello?"**

_Some people might not be too happy with such a decision._

"Hello? Kasamatsu-san?"

* * *

**A/N: **_And there we have it, Chapter 9. X: I know it wasn't the most exciting chapter, but hopefully that doesn't ruin your view on the story. ;A; It will get interesting again, I promise! But for now... just thank you to everyone. With how supportive and kind everyone is, it really motivates me and keeps my spirits high for this story (especially with how demotivating college can be, omg). If you have any questions/concerns/etc. please feel free to leave me a note or a pm or even a message over on tumblr! And if you have time, reviews are always lovely, because you guys are all lovely and wonderful beings of perfection. C/x_

_For all you Kaijo fans out there... look forward to Chapter 10. ;D Hopefully I'll be able to get the next chapter posted in a timely manner. _


	10. Chapter 10

_**Title:**__Just Breathe (10/?)_  
_**Rating:**__T  
__**Pairings:**__Eventual Aokise, Imayoshi/Sakurai  
__**Warnings:**__Unbeta'd, possible OOCness, bad...sexualish writing (like it's awful)_  
_**Word Count:**__7000 approx.  
__**Summary:**__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time._  
_**A/N: **Hey everyone~ I'm so sorry I wasn't able to respond to like, anyone's review for last chapter; it seriously bums me out, but I'll try to get around to it, especially if there were any questions. ;n; As usual, thank you for everyone's support with this story, it really means a lot to me! With school being as it is, your kind words really keep me trying with continuing to get chapters out for you guys as well (although I feel the quality of this one tanked 200% OTL). Anyways, we've made it to chapter 10! And we're no where near done, hahaha. Slow chapter is slow, but I'm sure you Kaijō fans will enjoy. C: Or at least, I hope so._

* * *

It's been the longest two months of Kasamatsu's life. Ever since Kise transferred to Tōō in Tokyo, it's felt as if something was torn from somewhere inside Kasamatsu's chest, leaving a gaping, empty hole in its place. There's no way he'll openly admit to missing his idiotic, exuberant kouhai, but he does. Terribly so. When he leaves class now, there's no one outside the door waiting for him; after school, there's no one bouncing around the gate to walk home with and chat about incessant nonsense. It's lonely, even more so because he still has people around him yet somehow manages to feel _nothing_ with them.

Of course he's talked to his fellow starters about what really happened with Kise and why their underclassman moved so suddenly, and of course they got over whatever pride they had been high upon and were decent enough to remorse over their mistakes, but that doesn't make anything better. If anything, it makes Kasamatsu more frustrated, because he begins to think. He thinks of things like, 'What would have happened if more people would have supported Kise?' and 'Would he have stayed if all of us stood by him?' It's nearly spring and Kasamatsu has asked himself more questions than he can count, none of which pertain to the upcoming exams he's been struggling to prepare for. Despite all the questions, Kasamatsu only has one answer: Kise—make things right with Kise.

This simple answer leads to more questions, the most important being _how_? He doesn't have a clue; hasn't had a clue for the past two months. Not even his classmates and past teammates are able to think of anything good enough to make up for everything that had happened. Kise had been the light of Kaijō, and they had smothered him completely; Kasamatsu isn't sure he's ever felt so disgusted with himself. He's supposed to be a leader, not a tyrant, not a _failure_.

'I'm so sorry,' He thinks helplessly, staring at his phone as he does on occasion when things become too heavy. Kise's contact glares back at him, bright in the darkness of his home; it almost makes Kasamatsu laugh, because Kise was always able to light up a room. Kasamatsu brings the phone in his hands to his forehead and breathes deeply—he won't call, he never will. It should be Kise's choice to speak with them again, and frankly, he'd understand if he never heard from his underclassman again. It saddens him, but he's resignedly come to accept the fact that he's screwed up. This is the consequence of his actions, so when Kise calls, Kasamatsu chokes from surprise before scrambling to pick up the line—this could be his chance, his _last _chance to fix things. He doesn't want to have to live without someone who has grown to become so important to him—as strong as he tries to appear, he's not strong enough to do such a thing to himself.

'_Can we meet up?_' Is the simple request, and Kasamatsu agrees readily. He wonders if this is how Kise always felt whenever the upperclassmen and he would invite the blonde to hang out. Hopefully the small forward never felt so desperate, but Kasamatsu isn't sure—he's seen how far Kise is willing to go to please others.

With a weary sigh, Kasamatsu slumps further in to the uncomfortable concrete bench before looking up in to the gloomy March sky. Was it okay for him to agree to meet with Kise? Was doing so too selfish? But then again, it was Kise who called him, so it should be fine. Right? Another sigh escapes him as he looks to his left and right for any sign of the blonde model. Kasamatsu can't spot the bundle of sunshine yet, but that does little to ease the frantic thudding of his heart against his chest—he's nervous, scared, worried. He just wants things to be okay again; he wants his friend back and he wants to properly make up for all he's caused the other boy.

Ten minutes later and Kasamatsu finds himself glancing around again; all he sees are families walking past or friends in search of one another. It's half past eleven, so Kise isn't late at all, but Kasamatsu had been so anxious he showed up nearly an hour in advance so every minute feels longer than it should.

'What if he changed his mind?' Kasamatsu thinks to himself dejectedly, heel bouncing against the concrete beneath it in an agitated manner. 'What if he just doesn't want to see me?'

The mere thought makes his heart drop to his stomach. Sure, he's considered the possibility before, but now that it may seriously happen, he's nervous. 'Breathe,' Kasamatsu tells himself as he closes his eyes and inhales deeply, 'just breathe, Yukio.'

"Kasamatsu-senp—san?" A voice calls, but he's too lost in his thoughts to notice the soft, questioning tone. His name is called again and he looks up in surprise to see the underclassman that has been plaguing his contemplations for too long. The blonde looks thinner, considerably so—Kasamatsu isn't sure if it's because the other isn't working out as regularly as he used to or if it's because of simply not eating. Kasamatsu also notices the crutches and how Kise holds his left leg up by using a toned thigh. Thick brows furrow at the blunt, harsh reminder that Kise is _hurt_; when Kasamatsu gathers the courage to raise his head to look Kise in the eye, he sees tears.

He's not sure if they're Kise's or his own.

"Kasamatsu-san~!" Kise cries, stumbling forward faster than Kasamatsu can stand and meet the other halfway. He gets one step before arms are flung around him and metal crutches are clattering to the ground. The hug startles him, surprises him in the best of ways; Kasamatsu feels like he's about to choke—he almost does as he coughs out a strangled, 'K-Kise! People are staring—you're making a scene!'

The model only buries his face further in to Kasamatsu's shoulder and tightens his hold; Kasamatsu returns the show of affection, unable to bite back the relieved and overjoyed grin that pulls at his lips.

"I missed you," Kise sniffles, refusing to let go; for once, Kasamatsu doesn't really mind.

"I missed you too," He admits, and holds on to Kise just a little bit tighter than before, because he's terrified of what will happen upon letting go. The moment feels surreal, but this is Kise, the boy that can brighten even the darkest of days. That feeling fades though, once Kise starts to hum happily and rock them side to side like children; he growls a bit and Kise laughs.

It feels normal, but Kasamatsu isn't so naïve to believe everything is okay now.

"Let me take you to lunch," Kasamatsu says, and Kise agrees happily. He isn't quite sure why Kise is so cheerful, why Kise isn't angry with him; is the blonde trying to pretend that nothing happened?

As they walk to a nearby restaurant, talking about what they've been up to and how school has been, Kasamatsu begins to believe this is the case. Kise is a good actor, but Kasamatsu notices that the younger boy is nervous; the easy laughter and smile Kasamatsu grew accustomed to months ago looks different now, the way Kise holds himself isn't as confident and open. Something is wrong, and he knows it's more than likely him and the team he represented.

Once they're seated across from one another, the small talk between them seems to falter. Kise, instead of looking straight at him, chooses to look out the window they're situated beside. As the senior, it's Kasamatsu's job to make the other feel more comfortable—as the one that _messed up_, it's his job to apologize and make the thickening atmosphere more bearable. He opens his mouth to speak, 'I'm so sorry, Kise,' but is interrupted by the model turning to look at him with a cautious, weary smile. The words catch in his throat, and Kise speaks instead.

"So… um… how is everyone?" The small forward asks, eyes flicking down towards the table, unable to keep Kasamatsu's surprised gaze.

"They're well." Kasamatsu starts, unsure of what he should say and what he should omit. "Moriyama, Kobori and I have been studying for exams, so it's been a little stressful. Hayakawa is doing well too; I see him around occasionally. He's as enthusiastic as he's always been."

"Oh." Kise murmurs and the pair lapse in to an uncomfortable silence. Kasamatsu isn't sure what he should do—it's more awkward than it's ever been and it makes him more anxious than he already was.

"Ah… Moriyama is still looking for a girlfriend; he isn't having much luck though. Everyone he's asked so far has turned him down." Kasamatsu chuckles. "It would do him good to learn from you, lady killer that you are and all."

"You know I never actually did anything," Kise laughs softly, cradling his glass of water in his hands because he doesn't know what else to do. The blonde glances up at Kasamatsu and smiles though—the dark haired boy takes the action as a prompt to continue.

"Regardless, you've always been able to attract just about everyone who's anyone." Kasamatsu says wistfully; if he thinks about it, he's definitely a part of the mentioned group.

"Kasamatsu-san attracts lots of people too!" Kise says encouragingly, offering Kasamatsu a wide grin before teasingly adding, "You're shyness around girls is endearing."

More like a turn-off, Kasamatsu wants to amend, because he honestly can't even form a sentence around the opposite sex—all of his friends can attest to that sad fact.

"It's embarrassing," Kasamatsu grumbles, pausing briefly so that he and Kise can order their meals. He takes note that Kise orders nothing more than a bowl of soup and frowns. Once the waitress leaves after blatantly gaping at the model seated across from him, Kasamatsu says, "You could have ordered more; just because I'm paying doesn't mean you have to hold back."

Kise laughs and shakes his head, "I'm just not that hungry. If you want to spend money on me though, there's this pair of boots I—"

"No." Kasamatsu denies, the words slipping past his lips as easily as they used to in the past.

"It was worth a try." Kise says sheepishly. "Anyways, tell me more about how everyone is doing! I want to know."

"Why?" Kasamatsu asks, brows furrowing. Isn't it painful hearing about the people that so easily turned their backs to you? Isn't it tormenting to hear about how the majority don't even _care_ while you do?

"Because, I—"Kise pauses, hands slipping from the cup of water on the table to rest in his lap. Amber eyes briefly glance up at him before flicking back to fidgeting fingers; Kasamatsu tries to place the emotion he thinks he sees in Kise's expressive eyes—anxiety, regret, worry? Kise continues in a strained, awkward tone, "Because I miss everyone, of course."

It's obvious that Kise feels silly, with how the model's pale cheeks and ears flush a soft pink. If Kasamatsu's heart wasn't already torn to pieces, he swears it would have broken—after all this time, Kise still cares so deeply for Kaijō, even after the awful treatment he was subjected to.

What did Kasamatsu do to be blessed with such a sweet, kindhearted kouhai?

"Is that strange?" Kise asks through a chuckle while raising one of his hands to fix his already styled hair in a nervous gesture. In a way the blonde is strange, because what kind of fool cares for jackasses like Kasamatsu and his old team? They don't deserve any recognition or attention, especially from someone like Kise.

Kasamatsu heaves a shuddering sigh and shakes his head, "No," he says softly, "I don't think so, because we miss you too. We miss you so much. Kise—" The older teen starts, voice catching as he continues earnestly, "We're all _so_ sorry…"

* * *

It's beginning to get hot. The girl he has pressed to the wall must think so too, because even as they kiss, she's trying to ease his jacket from his person. For the most part, the material slides off his shoulders easily, dropping to the floor quietly. Their tongues move against one another languidly; the heater in the house is set too high and makes Aomine feel lethargic. For some reason, the small girl before him acts more timidly than usual. It almost unnerves him, but he figures she's nervous because they're no longer at school, isolated on the roof and now stand in the entryway of her empty home.

"Let's go to my room," She gasps quietly when he takes the initiative to press more firmly against her, back curving uncomfortably so that he can trail kisses down the soft curve of her jaw to her neck. Half-heartedly he agrees, murmuring his consent in to her pale skin between teasing nips that leave her flesh a flushed pink.

It takes a few more minutes for her to sate him enough to move up the staircase that leads to her bedroom, but he eventually complies. A part of him wants to know why they have to be in her bedroom particularly, considering her family is gone until the following day, but he doesn't feel like questioning. In the end, he'll be getting the same thing.

As she pulls him in the direction of the bed, he wonders just how far she'll be letting him go today; there's a hopeful, eager look about her that is more obvious than usual. He imagines his expression is similar to the small brunette that has her lips quirked and her eyelids lowered partially in a 'come hither' look, but he can't feel the familiar quirk to his lips. There's a lot on his mind, and regardless of how he tries to focus on the moment, it seems impossible to keep his thoughts from straying. Luckily, the girl that clings to him is too absorbed in their actions to notice his distraction; he doubts she would be pleased knowing that at this point in time, he's not even thinking of her, despite her more passionate participation in what they're doing. Aomine is glad that she seems to be getting her confidence back now that they're behind her closed door; the last thing he wants to do is fool around with someone that is a fumbling mess. Endearing as that could be, he's here to feel good, nothing more or less.

In response to her newfound participation in their fun and in an attempt to get his mind back to where it matters, Aomine smirks in to the kiss the upperclassman initiates and deepens it, prying at her lips with his tongue briefly before she all too easily gives him entrance. Seemingly of its own accord, one of his hands find their way to the hemline of the girl's fitted blouse; his calloused fingers move upward, ghosting over the side of the brunette's waist and ribs, pulling a gasp from the girl who wraps her arms more tightly around his neck. The movement encourages Aomine to walk them both another few steps until the back of the girl's knees hit the edge of the bed and they're able to fall into a too plush mattress.

When he pulls back to look at the flushed girl beneath him, all he sees is hair that is too dark, a face that is too round and eyes that are too dull. The second year is cute and looks ravished despite the fact they haven't even started the fun, but Aomine doesn't feel turned on at all. He glances down at the shuddering rise and fall of the girl's chest and how the top three buttons of the shirt she wears are already undone. For once, he doesn't feel satisfied in the least at the tantalizing view of breasts.

_What am I doing here?_

Instead of leaving like he wants to, he leans forward, mouth trailing across her collarbone with open mouthed kisses. A hand finds its way in to his hair while another claws at the back of his shirt; as he lets his body react to the girl's desperate touches and satisfied moans, his mind begins to wander without his realizing.

It's been a frustrating six days. Even now Aomine can pinpoint the cause—Kise. That idiot had been spacing out and subsequently ignoring him for the entire school week. Out of curiosity, and _only_ curiosity, he had asked what was up, but had been brushed off with a casual wave of the hand and a fake laugh. He doesn't know if Kise thinks he's an idiot or not, but it's obvious to Aomine that the other is hiding something—most probably something Aomine wouldn't like or approve of too; they're around each other enough now for him to grasp at least that much. The only question is 'what?' As sad as it is to think and admit, it's not like Kise can do too much.

_He better not be doing another scandalous photo shoot like that one a few weeks ago. Those fucking girls still haven't shut up about it!_

With practiced ease, Aomine's hand makes its way from the soft, barely-there jut of the girl's hipbone, upward, skimming over her smooth skin until his fingertips reach the bottom of her lacy bra. When he glances up at the dull eyed girl, her face is flushed and her eyes are hooded with lust—just how Aomine likes.

Or how he thought he liked; nothing seems to be working for him though.

'It's that damned Kise's fault,' He grumbles inwardly; try as he might, he can't get the blonde out of his head. What is the other doing? The model hadn't texted him that morning as he had started doing earlier in the week. Sure it's their day off and Aomine doesn't need the reminder to wake up, but checking his phone to see nothing that morning was just—

"Ow," The upperclassman's complaint at the roughness of the kiss Aomine starts sounds more like a pleasurable moan; he lightly bites at her bottom lip and wonders what Kise would have done had the model been in this girl's situation, receiving all of his pent up annoyance and frustration. Surely, instead of being pleased with the rough treatment Kise would have complained and cried, causing the blush that would be dusted across the blonde's high cheekbones to darken, and Aomine would scoff before kissing away the moron's tears and—no. What? _**No**_. Where the fuck had that thought come from?

The blush that spreads its way across Aomine's cheeks is barely noticeable, but he can feel the uncomfortable heat; it burns him from the inside out and somehow makes it terribly difficult to breathe.

'Forget about it,' He tells himself, as if his thoughts were meaningless and only caused because of his temporary focus on the other. Aomine tilts his head to the right, melding his and this girl's lips more closely while putting everything he has in to dominating the kiss. In an easy movement, he pulls slightly back, enough so that the brunette chases after him in a needy manner. He begins unbuttoning the remaining buttons of the girl's blouse and the material falls off her shoulders and catches in the bend of her arms. She pushes back against him frantically until he's seated and she's able to straddle his thighs and rock teasingly against him.

The movement does nothing to excite him. It's weird, because the simple thought of kissing Kise left him feeling more flustered than everything he's been doing with this nameless girl for the past fifteen minutes. He can't stand for that though—it's weird and gross.

Now more aware than what he was before, Aomine fully closes his eyes and resolves to figure out what the Hell is wrong with him, because surely _Kise_ can't get him off; Aomine is positive that by briefly imaging the other here, he'll be able to get over whatever random thought his deprived mind conjured. Being with another guy would just be disgusting, right?

As his neck is lavished with both pecks and playful licks and nips, he sighs and imagines the body straddling him is bigger, more angular and solid. As he previously thought, the image doesn't sit well with him and causes him to mentally cringe, but he perseveres. Instead of sticky, glossy lips at his neck, there's something softer, fuller that sucks at his tanned skin, pulling away only to softly peck the abused flesh. The hands that push their way under his shirt to run along his abdomen are no longer soft and small, but larger and more calloused. A shudder wracks up his spine as the body above him rocks against him in a steady rhythm; he grasps the back of a neck, fingers running through short, soft hair before pulling away, bending down and capturing Kise's lips in a kiss. The lips beneath him smile in to his, but it doesn't feel right; Aomine opens his eyes slightly and stops breathing.

_Fuck_, his plan backfired.

In a movement of panic, Aomine pulls away from the heated kiss he was sharing with his upperclassman; she furrows her brows in confusion at his sudden change in mood and asks what's wrong in a whiny voice that reminds him too much of that idiot blonde. Her hands run up his chest to rest upon his shoulders, massaging them lightly as if such an action can coax him back in to making out with her.

"I'm not in the mood for this." Aomine says bluntly and as steadily as he can through shallow breaths. She rolls off of him without his asking and he stands, quickly moving towards the door. 'But Aomine-kun~!' she starts, but Aomine sends her an annoyed glare from over his shoulder and she sighs, telling him to come back if he changes his mind. He grunts a noncommittal sound to let her know he heard her before showing himself out. The girl must be too shocked to really protest, because when has Aomine ever _not _been in the mood to fool around?

As he shows himself out, he scoops up his jacket from where it lay forgotten in the entryway. With furrowed brows and tensed shoulders, he opens the front door and carelessly shuts it behind him before falling against it and in to a crouch. The cool March air hits the exposed skin of his face and arms harshly, but it cools down the unbearable heat he had felt from the inside out from moments earlier.

When he gathers his bearings enough to think about what had happened, a shaky sigh pulls itself past his lips. Why had he been thinking of Kise like that? He knows he wanted to convince himself that thinking of another guy in that way was disgusting, but why the fuck was he turned on by imagining Kise, _pretty boy_ Kise in an increasingly sexual situation with himself? Aomine had come to terms a few weeks ago that Kise was physically attractive, but in a sexual manner? No—no. Kise is his friend, a _boy_; wanting to do things like that with someone like that isn't something Aomine can accept, it isn't even something he _wants_. Aomine doesn't like guys, he likes girls that are voluptuous and sultry and have big boobs and—and—

"Damn it." He groans, allowing himself to fully sit on the ground with his back propped against his senpai's front door. Whether he's in to girls or not, that doesn't change that he's uncomfortably hard.

Aomine groans in frustration as he runs a hand through his short hair, pulling at the strands to distract himself from the throbbing between his legs. 'It's all Kise's fault,' He sighs, closing his eyes and breathing deeply while thinking of anything unsexy to calm down his body and frayed nerves.

_Fuck_.

* * *

Kise isn't sure how it happened. Moments earlier it had been only Kasamatsu and him at the table, but now his side of the booth seats an additional three people who squeeze him in to the middle. It's almost hard to breathe, but the suffocation method makes him so much happier than it had before. Instead of overwhelming depression all he feels is long awaited _relief_.

"I don't know what came over me—I'm so sorry, Kise!" Hayakawa says loudly; the second year covers the upper half of his face with the sleeve of his jacket to hide his teary eyes, but Kise can still hear the unconcealed sniffles as the other fails to compose himself. "We should have done more and been here with you every step of the way through your recovery and ahhhh! What's wrong with me!? I'm so—"

"Shh!" Kasamatsu growls, the side of his fist hitting the tabletop in a threatening manner as he glares at his loud-mouthed kouhai. The entirety of the restaurant watches them; for once it's not even Kise's fault they're attracting attention!

"We had no idea your injuries were so serious, but that shouldn't have mattered. We knew how hard you worked to support us; we should have had your back." Moriyama laments, face buried in his hands. "It's no wonder no one wants to date me—I'm despicable!"

The situation is comical and makes the many weeks he's spent tormenting himself with guilt and depression seem silly. It's like nothing was ever really wrong, especially to the extent Kise had felt; not one comment has been given to him about blame or hate or anything of what he's feared for the past two months. A small part of him feels bad for thinking that these people could even be capable of doing something so cruel, but that feeling is wiped away by the contented feeling the warmth around him causes.

Kobori reaches over Hayakawa and ruffles his hair fondly; the larger male's voice sounds a bit strained, "We really are sorry, Kise."

"Oh, well it's o—" Kise starts, a grin slowly spreading across his face because maybe things can finally be okay again; the moment feels so surreal and ideal and it seems like nothing can bring him, not when he has his friends with him expressing their remorse and wanting his friendship. What Kise thought was perfect and the start of a new beginning though, is ruined by Kasamatsu.

"No! It's not, and we are _not_ accepting any forgiveness." Kasamatsu barks, eyes narrowed at Kise.

"Isn't that my decision?" Kise asks, his smile quickly morphing in to a frown. Why wouldn't Kasamatsu want him to accept their apologies? When realization hits him, Kise's amber eyes widen, "Kasamatsu-san… doesn't want to be my friend?"

"What? No—no, I never said that!" Kasamatsu groans, "Stop jumping to conclusions! What I'm saying is that we don't deserve it yet!"

"I don't deserve everyone's kindness, but I'm accepting it." Kise bites back childishly; he just wants everything to go back to how it was.

"What do you mean?" Moriyama asks, leaning forward a bit to get a better view of the blonde.

"Ah, well," Kise starts, glancing at Moriyama before turning to look at the table ashamedly. "I lied to everyone. A lot."

"That's because you're a naïve moron that lives on the praises of others." Kasamatsu sighs. "Us though? We don't have such an excuse; we were just being selfish."

"But you're sorry for that, and I want to forgive you." Kise retorts.

Before Kasamatsu can snap, Kobori interjects, "What Kasamatsu is trying to say is that you're being too quick to forgive, and we're not going to take advantage of your kindness again."

"That's right!" Hayakawa says, slamming both of his hands against the table dramatically while turning in the booth to better face Kise. He stares at Kise, eyes filled with fiery determination as he continues, "We're going to earn your forgiveness!"

"But," Kise starts, glancing between everyone at the table.

"Overruled, Kise-kun." Moriyama states as he offers Kise a small smile.

"I should be doing the same then—"The blonde says, but Kobori raises his hand in a silencing manner. In a habitual show of respect to the upperclassman, Kise's voice trails off.

"I think you've already done that by not pushing us away." Kobori says. The strong feelings of determination and togetherness at the table almost make Kise falter; it feels like he's a part of, or at least being welcomed back into, a team. Without his realizing, a wobbly smile blooms across his face; he's suddenly at a loss for words. What did he do to deserve such nice senpais? Had he not been painfully squeezed to the point of suffocation earlier by Hayakawa, he would pinch himself to prove to himself he's not dreaming, but this is real. He can feel the tightness in his chest, the sting in his cheeks from smiling, and the warmth of his teammates surrounding him. Kasamatsu had regretfully told him that not everyone feels the same as the starters do, but Kise thinks this is enough. He wonders why he hadn't called his teammates sooner, because he feels so much lighter now than he had before.

"Well, if you still feel obliged and so happen to want to introduce me to any of your female model friends, I wouldn't object," Moriyama coughs, bringing his cup of water to his lips while looking away slyly.

"Moriyama, shut up." Kasamatsu deadpans as he rubs his temple. Things seem to have worked out one way or another, somehow. It probably shouldn't have been as easy as it was, but that's because Kise is still naïve and expects the best from everyone. That childish quality of his kouhai is something he admires and hates all at once, because while it makes Kise that much more likeable, it also leaves the model susceptible to being hurt more easily than others.

"I can introduce you to some as well, Kasamatsu-san. No need to be jealous." Kise laughs and watches as a blush spreads across his senpai's face at the mere thought. The dark haired boy shakes his head and grumbles something or another about it being pointless anyways.

"I'll pass." Kasamatsu says. "I'd rather just be called 'senpai' again than be set up with some girl." Kasamatsu huffs.

"Such a simple man—how admirable!" Hayakawa says, voice booming across the restaurant. Patrons glance at their table again, some with annoyed looks while others appear amused. Kasamatsu sighs and forces himself not to drop his head to the table; instead, he focuses on his old team and how they happily interact with one another with no signs of awkwardness or strain. The sight causes a small smile to tug at his lips as he watches them fondly.

"How is physical therapy going, Kise?" Kasamatsu asks once a short lull forms in the conversation across from him. Since a certain trio interrupted him earlier, he hadn't been able to ask much about his blonde underclassman.

"It's good! Aominecchi even goes with me sometimes. It's really nice." Kise says, smiling warmly. "There hasn't been any progress yet, but we're hopeful! If I'm ever disheartened, Aominecchi is always quick to beat it out of me."

"Aomine-san?" Kasamatsu asks in surprise. He probably shouldn't be that shocked that Tōō's ace would do such a thing, considering the younger boy had been at the hospital every day during Kise's short admittance, but he is.

"It's good you transferred to a school where you already have a friend." Moriyama says, offering Kise an encouraging smile. The blonde smiles back and nods fervently, launching in to a rant about Aomine and Sakurai and how he's learning to cook and how he goes to Aomine's house to watch dramas with him and Momoi. Seeing Kise so happy while being away from Kaijō shouldn't bother Kasamatsu—he should be happy that Kise has managed to find a place to belong, but his heart aches a bit. He's jealous.

* * *

"Have you ever checked out another girl?" Aomine asks out of the blue. He walks alongside Satsuki at a leisurely pace, neither of them being in a rush to get to the restaurant that makes the smoothie the pink haired girl had suddenly decided she was craving. The girl's eyes trail to him, but Aomine keeps his gaze steadfastly forward while schooling a blank look on to his face. She probably already knows what's going through his mind about Kise, but she's considerate enough not to call him on it and make him clam up about the matter altogether.

"Eh? This isn't for Dai-chan's perverted fantasies, is it?" Satsuki whines, looking up at him with puffed out cheeks in semblance of a pout.

"As if." He grunts, shoving his hands deep in to the pockets of his jacket. It's true he's tried thinking about it before, but both Satsuki and he know the platonic nature of their relationship makes any such act impossible—in fact, it creeps him out. If he had a sister, he imagines the feeling would be the same.

"But, yes." She answers simply, pausing as she thinks, "Most girls do though, since we usually compare ourselves to others all the time."

"Have you ever wanted to have sex with one?" He asks bluntly; the content of his question causes Satsuki to flush a bright red and shove him roughly, forcing him to stumble and nearly hit a telephone pole.

"Dai-chan!" She cries loudly, fuming about his crudeness in public. She crosses her arms over her chest and looks to the side, "You know Tetsu is the only one I would—"

"Oh, gross. Stop talking." Aomine says, cringing at the thought of his two friends in such a relationship. As soon as he manages to get over the scarring mental image, his shoulders slump in defeat and he stares pensively at the ground. His hopes of being able to talk with Satsuki are crushed before he can even vocalize them—not that he planned on it.

Noticing his sudden withdrawal, Satsuki sighs, clasping her hands behind her back as she looks up at the sky. For a few moments, they walk in silence; the quiet is something they've both grown accustomed to, but Aomine feels stifled. When his friend next speaks, he glances down at her. She says, "I've thought about it."

She's blushing and refuses to look at him; Aomine looks forward to save her from further embarrassment.

"Wasn't it gross?" He asks, pausing after the words escape his mouth because he is _not_ the type of person to talk about something as girly as feelings. Being around Satsuki and Kise and those fucking dramas so much must have affected him without his noticing.

"No." She says, but Aomine thinks she's only saying that to make him feel better; as blunt and harsh as she can be with him, she has a tendency to baby him when he's troubled. "Why are you asking though?"

When his mouth opens, he's quick to shut it. Telling Satsuki about what transpired before he rudely showed up at her house demanding they do something is too weird to him and not something he wants to openly admit to having happened. No matter how attractive Kise may be, Aomine doesn't like dicks. He doesn't like flat chests or a body that lacks curves—he doesn't like boys. It's as simple as that, but his nerves won't settle. Maybe he needs to call Kagami and order the other to meet him for a one-on-one; if he's tired enough, maybe he'll stop thinking.

"No reason," He mumbles around a sigh, opening the door to the restaurant before walking in and letting the glass shut in Satsuki's face. As she walks in, he hears her complain about how rude he is and can hear in the tone of her voice that they're not through with their previous conversation. Aomine isn't really concerned with her though, because Kise is here. He hears the boy's laughter before he actually catches sight of the other, but when he does his weary mood turns foul.

What is that idiot doing with those bastards?

"Dai-chan?" Satsuki calls, "Dai-chan?"

"Huh?" He asks, turning his head in her direction but keeping his eyes trained to the table that Kise sits at with the same team that had _abandoned_ him only months before. They're all laughing and having a good time; it pisses him off that Kise is so happy with the people that had hurt him. None of them deserve to see Kise's smile, not after what they put the model through.

"You don't look well; why don't we go and talk instead?" She asks, already pulling at his arm until they're back outside in the fresh air. It's when they've walked nearly a block that his thoughts come back to the present and he realizes how jealous he had been.

When he shakes his head in disbelief, Satsuki turns to look at him. His brows furrow and a frown pulls at his lips as he admits, "I'm not ready to talk about it, Satsuki."

* * *

The relationship between Aomine and Kise is confusing. For a while, Sakurai believed the pair was getting suspiciously close, but then they turn around and take turns ignoring one another? He can't keep up! It's painful to watch though, especially when Kise is on the receiving end of such treatment. Throughout class he's seen Kise try to catch Aomine's attention through hand gestures, hushed whispers, notes, and 'accidently' dropping his pencil near the latter's desk. Nothing seems to work though. What makes Sakurai even more uneasy is that Aomine doesn't even appear to be mad or vindictive—just contemplative. Near the last hour of class before break, he hears the sound of a chair scraping against the linoleum floors; with how the teacher doesn't say anything, Sakurai knows that it's Aomine.

"Did you two fight or something?" Sakurai asks once break starts, turning a chair to face Kise's desk. He places his bento in the open spot that Kise isn't using to mope. When the boy doesn't respond, Sakurai taps his arm softly, "Kise-kun?"

"I can't think of anything!" Kise groans, turning his head so that he can see his friend. Sakurai tilts his head slightly to get a better view of the blonde, and notices how frustrated the other appears to be. "The week was starting off so good too…"

"What do you mean?" Sakurai asks.

"I met with my old team yesterday." Kise sighs, "We talked and made up and it felt so good to not have that burden, but now Aomine is mad at me! It feels ten times worse!"

"Aomine-kun is mad at you for talking to them?" Sakurai frowns.

"Huh? No, I didn't tell him." Kise says, "So it has to be something else."

"Could he have found out somehow?" Sakurai questions, but Kise shakes his head. The other had apparently not told anyone about the meeting, so there's no way Aomine could have found out. No matter how Sakurai looks at it though, that must be the case, because it's not like Aomine to get mad over nothing. "Maybe he saw you if he had been walking around."

Kise's eyes widen at the notion, suddenly remembering what Kuroko had told him about certain people getting angry if he were to go ahead and do what he wanted only a week earlier, "What if he did? But, why would he be mad?"

"Because he worries about you, maybe?" Sakurai says, offering the other a smile. As he begins eating his lunch, he sees Kise trying to laugh off such an obscene statement before slowly realizing that Sakurai is right, because over the past two months Aomine has done nothing but express concern in the subtle way only Aomine can pull off.

"That's really weird," Kise laughs, but the pink blush that spreads across his face and the tips of his ears gives him away, even as he curls in to himself embarrassedly. It's obvious how happy the simple thought makes Kise; Sakurai's surprised the boy hadn't noticed until just now, but glad that things are finally starting to look up for his friend.

"It is, isn't it?" Sakurai laughs along after swallowing his food. They continue talking easily about meaningless topics and future plans for further cooking lessons per Kise's request. Summer is coming and Kise wants to learn how to properly make bentos for a picnic. As the blonde plans everything by himself, Sakurai smiles and nods, pausing only when he sees Aomine enter through the back door of the classroom.

"Eh?" Kise asks, starting a bit when something is placed a top his head. Before it can fall, he reaches up and grabs plastic; a moment later, the blonde is able to spot Aomine through his peripheral. The smile that lights up the model's face is blinding. "Aominecchi?" Kise asks, "I thought you were mad and left me!"

"I'm not mad, idiot." The power forward scoffs, pulling the seat of his desk out far enough so that he can prop his feet a top the flat surface. "Why would I buy you stuff if you pissed me off?"

"But you were ignoring me in class!" Kise complains.

"Well I'm not now, am I?" Aomine growls as he leans back in his chair until the front two legs no longer touch the ground. He motions to the bread in Kise's hands and grunts out a seemingly uncaring, "I went out of my way to get that for you, so you better eat it. You've been losing too much damn weight; you'll never get better if you don't take care of yourself properly."

As Aomine and Kise banter back and forth, Sakurai watches contentedly while eating his bento. He's noticed for a while, but Kise lights up around Aomine. Aomine is different too whilst around the blond—although still calloused, he's become more sensitive and patient, if only with Kise. It's strange as it is pleasant to see a relationship like theirs unfold.

"Aominecchi cares for me~!" Kise teases, taking a small bite of the bread Aomine had bought him. "Sakurai-kun told me so; there's no use in denying it."

"I do not." The power forward snaps, first at Kise before turning to him, "Don't put strange thoughts in to this moron's mind!"

At the sudden attention, Sakurai freezes, dropping his bento to the desk and bowing his head, "I'm so sorry!"

Everything seems normal, but Sakurai notices how Aomine appears slightly more conscious of the model beside him. He tilts his head curiously and tries to place the look; it reminds him of how Imayoshi looks at him occasionally.

* * *

**A/N: **_-burnt out completely-_

_But on a positive note, I have gotten to chapter 10! But there's no need to worry, because this story is going to seriously go on forever (as I've belatedly realized, hahaha). Um. Hopefully this chapter wasn't awful? w; School has me really overwhelmed, which has translated in to awful writer's block. :'C Anyways, thank you to everyone who reviewed/read/etc'd. last chapter, and I'm so sorry I wasn't able to send out personal thank you's. Each and every one of you is amazing and wonderful though!_

_Anyways, this chapter. Aomine no homo and Momoi is the best friend ever. (: And Kaijō, of course. But most importantly, that AominexGirl scene. OTL That took me so long to write; I would seriously get down three words and then purposefully return to doing homework. It actually pained me to write it, and I'm sure that translated in to my writing since I can't write kissy sexy scenes. D: To all you authors that can, kudos. You are the most beautiful and amazing people in the world. No joke. But, uh. Hopefully everything else makes up for that? Maybe?_

_Thank you for reading this chapter, everyone! I hope you enjoyed it, and if you have time, please leave me a review. It's nice to hear what you're thinking and what you like/dislike or if you have questions. (: Oh- and because I'm curious, I was wondering what you guys like about this story? (This totally doesn't need to be answered, I'm just a bit confused about the perks of this story, with all of it's slow slice-of-lifeness to it )._


	11. Chapter 11

_**Title:**__Just Breathe (11/?)_  
_**Rating:**__T  
__**Pairings:**__Eventual Aokise, Imayoshi/Sakurai  
__**Warnings:**__Unbeta'd, possible OOCness, awkward skips :C_  
_**Word Count: **__6000 approx.  
__**Summary:**__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time._  
_**A/N: **__ Thank you to everyone who read last chapter and especially to those of you who reviewed (and answered my silly question). It was great to see what you guys all like; I feel a bit more confident about the slowness… although I just time skipped big time. OTL It's only because a 90 chapter fic is something I refuse to have in my future; I just can't do it. But yes, thank you for your support, everyone! I truly appreciate it. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

Kagami is surprisingly level headed about talking homo. It surprises him, but he appreciates how the other takes him seriously with his 'hypothetical' questions and doesn't laugh or mock him. Talking like this is hard enough as is. He hasn't even spoken with Satsuki properly about this horrifying dilemma, but he's glad he doesn't, because Kagami appears to know what he's going through and it's easy to relate to his fellow power forward.

"Space." Kagami says, but the suggestion makes him frown. Regardless of the fact that he doesn't like the proposal, he takes it in to consideration. Not being around Kise would be strange, but maybe it's exactly because he sees the boy every day that his thoughts have become so jumbled and his feelings so confused. For the past three months, he's rendezvoused with girls on Tōō's school roof, and more oftentimes than not he gets off while thinking of Kise—with that final thought, he decides he _does_ need time away from everything. Desperately. Because Aomine Daiki is no homo. There's just no way.

With this newfound resolve, he meets up with Kise, informing the other of his decision as he walks the model home from physical therapy. The look Kise gives him upon being told makes him waver, but he breathes and reminds himself that he can't let pretty boy Kise screw him up any further. With that, he leaves on a flirty note that he kicks himself over the whole drive to his grandparents' home in the countryside, located approximately six hours away—he honestly hadn't been able to help himself though, and when he accepts Kise's call only two days in to their vacation, the boy sounds utterly relieved and overjoyed. It makes his heart race and he promptly hangs up after telling the other not to slack off at physical therapy.

After that, he wanders without his phone so that there's no chance of Kise reaching him. Kagami said he needed space—he's not going to get that if he's constantly checking texts he receives from the model or answering phone calls consecutively throughout the day. Instead of focusing on the blonde, Aomine spends time with his younger cousins. They go searching for cicadas and crayfish during the day, and at night before dinner he'll throw buckets of water at them and scrub their heads roughly so that they're clean. It's fun and keeps him busy, but after they all go to bed, he's left by himself. On occasion an uncle will persuade him in to gamble or drink a bit, but his mom almost always catches on just when it starts to get fun and scolds them. After nearly a week, those moments grow fewer and more far in between, leaving him to ultimately go to his room and contemplate.

He still can't stop thinking about Kise; when he jerks off it's always the model's face he ends up seeing before he comes. It's embarrassing and makes him feel ashamed, but he can't help it. At some point, the guilt becomes too much and he caves, calling Satsuki. He tells her that he's fucked up, but she comforts him like she always does and tells him he isn't before asking what's wrong. It takes him a bit, but he admits in a quiet voice that he can't stop thinking about this guy. She doesn't press for a name, just listens as he complains about not being a homo and liking girls' with big breasts and soft curves. There's no way he likes this guy, but he asks her why he can't get the fucking idiot out of his head. His face, his smile, his eyes, his neck, his back, his hands, his _everything_—he can't stop thinking. What's he doing? What's he thinking? Aomine shouldn't care, but he wants to know. He left to get away from thinking of this moron, and yet when he's not busying himself with something, it's the first thing his mind goes to.

"Maybe you like him?" Satsuki asks, and Aomine rejects the notion so vehemently that there's a lull in the conversation that never usually happens. She sighs and tries again, "I feel the same way for Tetsu that you feel for this other person, it seems. I'm always thinking things like that—like if they're thinking of me or if they're happy or if they miss me."

The clarity at which he's able to relate to Satsuki's additional words makes him shudder, because he knows how his friend feels towards his old shadow and he knows where the conversation is about to go.

"I think Dai-chan is in love and denial." She says firmly.

"I'm not—"

"I'm not saying you are." Satsuki says, speaking over his protests with practiced ease. "I just think this person is a special exception to you."

"But I don't like boys, Satsuki." He growls, rolling out of his futon and sliding the door to his room open to breathe the crisp night air. The surrounding garden is empty, but he already knew that; he purposefully sleeps in an opposite wing from everyone else for privacy's sake. As he lowers himself to sit on the raised wooden platform, he sighs and leans heavily against a sturdy beam.

"That's—ah." Satsuki sighs in frustration, pausing in order to put her thoughts together before she speaks again. "What I'm trying to say is that you don't like boys, but you like this person. Stop getting caught up on something as trivial as sex, Dai-chan."

"It's not trivial." He grunts, and it's really not. Possibly liking Kise can ruin his life.

"Why don't you think of Kise as just a person instead of a boy? Maybe that will help you come to conclusions about what you're feeling." Satsuki suggests, and Aomine can hear her yawn from across the line.

"… I'll try." He sighs, but pauses when he realizes, "Wait! Who said anything about that moron!?"

"Eh? Oh—um." His friend starts, and with each passing second Aomine can feel his face flush more. Sure he knew that she already knew, but hearing it from the girl makes it ten times worse. "It's late! I need to go to bed. Night, Dai-chan!"

Before he can tell her to hold the fuck up, she ends the call and leaves him to listen to an annoying dial tone. With a loud huff, he falls backwards on to the hardwood he sits on. When he turns his head, the flooring cools his heated face and makes him sigh again. Think of Kise as a person? What's that supposed to mean? How can he not take in to consideration that Kise isn't a girl?

If the blonde was though…

'Would I want to be with him then?' He thinks to himself, staring up at the slanted overhang above him blankly. At first he thinks yes, but as he takes in to consideration how much his friend would change, he finds the thought less appealing. Kise would make a hot girl, without a doubt, but the Kise he likes right now is the one he's grown up with since middle school; if Kise were a girl, nothing would be the same. He wouldn't be able to treat Kise as roughly, he wouldn't be able to talk as casually—things would change. It's then that he thinks he understands what Satsuki may have meant.

Aomine thinks Kise is attractive, yes, but he isn't only caught up on physical aspects as he usually is whenever he has a crush on some girl. Aomine likes Kise's optimism and determination, his naivety and gullibility. Aomine likes how Kise challenges him and is courageous in the face of adversity. He likes Kise's kindness and Kise's confidence and Kise's annoying habit of trying to hide what's serious while complaining about the little things that don't matter. Aomine likes that no matter what he does that should turn the other away, the blonde refuses to leave. Kise's strengths, his weaknesses, his faults—everything that makes Kise who he is, Aomine likes. He may not like dick, but he likes Kise.

Admittance to that realization makes his breath catch in his throat.

"Damn," He curses, throwing his arms over his eyes. From where his biceps brush his cheeks, he's able to feel a terrible burn, involuntary and unwelcome. Aomine sighs for the umpteenth time that night and lets one arm fall to stretch across the ground while he moves the other to rest a top his forehead.

As his phone starts buzzing against where he left it laying a top his stomach, he grabs the device, flipping it open without checking the caller ID and placing it to his ear. It's nearly two in the morning, but his mind is racing too much to sleep.

"Aominecchi?" The voice on the other end calls. For a moment, he doesn't speak, just listens as the other calls his name in a hushed whisper while trying to keep the late night phone call from any prying ears. He can feel his heart thud loudly against his chest and a feeling of contentedness mixed with anxiety from hearing his name spill from Kise's lips.

"What are you doing calling so late, you moron? Your mom is going to freak when she sees you didn't get enough sleep." He asks, tone calmer than he had expected it to come out sounding.

"Oh, it's fine, it's fine…" Kise starts.

Six hours away, Aomine realizes that he's no homo, but he wants Kise.

"I wanted to hear Aominecchi's voice; I miss you."

* * *

Summer is fun and productive, filled with laughs and mishaps with his friends and fights with his mom. It's normal, but he really wishes Aomine would come home soon. Because of this nagging feeling, he finds himself in Sakurai's kitchen, idly attempting to mimic his friend's movements with a knife to cut a proper weinipus.

"Why does he have to be gone all summer?" He groans, slouching further in to his chair.

"Didn't you say Aomine-kun is visiting family?" Sakurai asks in return, not even having to question who they're talking about. Kise complains enough for the other to know.

"Well, yeah…" Kise starts, straitening in his seat in order to properly cut the food in his hand; if he were to accidently hurt himself his mother wouldn't be pleased.

"He'll be back soon, Kise-kun. If he actually answers texts and phone calls from you, I'm sure he misses you as well." Sakurai says, offering Kise a warm smile.

"You think?" Kise laughs; Sakurai laughs along too, but only because Kise's cheeks flush lightly with color. He wonders if the model even notices, but disregards the thought in favor of teasing Kise with a one-shouldered shrug. Kise beams down at the food he is steadily getting better at making and sighs contentedly, "What about Sakurai-kun? You seem happier than you were at the beginning of break."

"Huh? I'm sorry!" Sakurai apologizes, not realizing that he had been different from his usual self at all. He looks down at the food he slices and tries not to appear too flustered. "It's just, um. Imayoshi-san decided to stay in Tokyo for college, so…"

"So you were sad for the same reasons as me, huh?" Kise laughs. "Well, I'm glad he's staying; he makes you really happy, huh?"

"Mm." Sakurai mumbles, lowering his head.

They lapse in to silence, Kise continuing to practice cutting a perfect weinipus and Sakurai fidgeting nervously. For a while, the model thinks it's because he's holding the knife wrong, but when he inspects the utensil in his hand, he knows it's right. He's copied Sakurai's grip to perfection and follows the same movements, so why? Looking back up, he sees his friend's face getting steadily redder and wonders if perhaps the other is feeling ill.

"Sakurai-kun?" He asks, placing his knife and half-finished weinipus on the cutting board. As he wipes his hands on a towel, he scoots forward in his chair to better see the boy.

"K-Kise-kun is my friend, right?" The boy asks, and Kise's eyes widen. Is something wrong?

"Of course! Sakurai-kun is one of my closest friends." Kise says, dropping his head a bit so that Sakurai can see his smile. The upward turn of his lips seems to calm the other teen slightly, but the brunette still appears nervous.

"Can I tell you something and you won't hate me?" Sakurai asks, raising his head to look in to Kise's eyes. The glance is brief, but Kise realizes that the matter is fairly serious.

"I'd never hate Sakurai-kun." Kise says reassuringly; it feels nice to be there for his friend when usually it's the other way around.

"I'm, uh…-ting…-shi-san…rry."

"Excuse me?" Kise says, flustered because this is the first time Sakurai wants to talk about something that's troubling him and he didn't _hear_ and what kind of friend is he?! Frantically, he apologizes, "I'm sorry, Sakurai-kun! I couldn't hear you."

Sakurai looks up at him; cheeks flushed a deep red and eyes just a little glassy from fearful tears.

"I'm dating… Imayoshi-san. I'm sorry for telling you, but I've kept it a secret for so long and I just really wanted to say it aloud and I'm really sorry!"

It takes a few seconds for the words to process, but once they do Kise finds himself sighing loudly with relief. That was it? That wasn't bad at all. He smiles at Sakurai and says, "Why are you apologizing? Of course you would want to share something like that—you two are dating, after all."

"You're not… you don't think I'm weird or—"Sakurai stutters, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. The boy's face burns bright and he still looks ready to burst in to tears; Kise pushes himself up from his chair and hops a few steps until he's by his friend's side. The brunette looks up at him before gasping when Kise wraps the boy in a tight hug.

"No! I think it's great you found someone that makes you happy." Kise exclaims, shuffling a bit on his right foot to keep his balance. He can feel the heat of Sakurai's face through his shirt, and jumps a bit when the small boy returns his hug weakly. "I understand why you've been so stressed all these weeks now! You should have told me sooner. We could have talked about it."

"I'm sorry, I just thought—"Sakurai starts and the boy sounds so _relieved_ that it's painful. "Kise-kun is so accepting."

Unable to keep his balance, Kise grabs on to the table before hopping back to his seat, collapsing in to the wooden chair gracelessly before he leans forward excitedly. He grins at his friend and asks, "So all those times you were telling me you were busy, you were actually with Imayoshi-san?"

"I'm sorry."

"And this is why you've been so mopey these past few weeks?"

"I-I'm really sorry!"

"Ah~ Imayoshi-san is really lucky." Kise praises, laughing when his friend's fading blush comes back full force. "Sakurai-kun must be the greatest boyfriend ever, huh?"

"N-no. Not at all." The boy says, waving his hands around frantically as if to push away the compliments. "If anything, I'm quiet troublesome. He's probably upset with how clingy I've been."

"Eh? I don't think so; it's only natural to want to be with the person you like all the time, right?" Kise asks, brows furrowing as he thinks about it. He doesn't notice through his thinking, but Sakurai levels him with an expectant stare that steadily becomes more of a look of hopelessness as he continues, "If you have to be separated from them, it's normal to get sad and mopey."

"Kise-kun…" Sakurai sighs as he stands to walk over to the counter. The blonde looks up at his friend with wide eyes before flailing and protesting after the other concludes, "Is very oblivious."

What does Sakurai mean by that? Kise doesn't think he said anything wrong. It _is_ normal to miss the person you like when they're not around and get depressed because of their absence. Maybe that sounds too silly though? He doesn't know—he can't really relate; he's never felt that way towards someone he likes before.

* * *

One forty in the morning has become the time he expects to hear from Kise. It's not like he looks forward to the calls or anything, but he feels a sense of relief whenever his phone starts buzzing in his hand with an incoming call. Nothing develops or changes with their relationship, but Aomine finds that with every day that passes, he becomes less concerned with liking a boy and more focused on hearing Kise's laugh or the way the blonde calls his name. Sometimes, when neither of them has anything left to talk about but don't want to hang up, Aomine is able to hear the soft sound of Kise's breathing that slowly deepens and evens out as the model succumbs to sleep. He never utters a 'goodnight' like they do in Satsuki and Kise's corny dramas, but occasionally he feels tempted to. It's unlike him, but then again, feelings are unlike him too. Everything is new and different—he's not sure if he likes it or not.

"Daiki seems more subdued; it's so unlike him." One of his aunt's comment one day as the entirety of his family crams in to a room to watch TV. He has her toddler between his thighs, keeping the little boy standing upright while playfully knocking the brat around by shifting his legs left and right. The child laughs while Aomine looks towards the woman talking about him. She looks at him slyly before turning her attention to his mother. "Is it a girlfriend?"

"Eh? Daiki-chan has a girlfriend!?" One of his cousins, an eight year old girl, gasps. She runs over to him, jumping over outstretched legs until she can cling on to him. Aomine brushes her off, but she climbs on to the couch next to him and looks up at him with wide eyes. "I want to see! Is she pretty?"

"I bet she has huge knockers!" A boy snickers, but is smacked upside the head by one of the many moms in the room.

"I don't have one," He grunts, shifting to move away as more of his younger cousins crowd around him. One of them tries reaching for the phone in his pocket, but he swats them away and growls at them for emphasis to back off.

"No need to lie, Daiki; we're just curious. You've become so quiet over these past couple weeks!" His aunt says.

"That's probably because he's tired!" One of his cousins shouts from behind him; he reaches back and hits the kid in the head, thus sending the kid running towards the safety of an adult. Once safe in the embrace of his mom, the brat continues, "He's always up late at night talking to her!"

"Am not," He says, leaning forward to glare at the child menacingly. Aomine should have known that even being on the opposite side of the house wouldn't provide him with the privacy he's grown accustomed to from living by himself.

The toddler he supports giggles, patting his legs as if to tell him to move and keep their game going. He begins shifting his legs back and forth again as he wonders how the Hell the conversation was turned to him so quickly. Aomine had been sitting quietly and minding his own business; can't they talk about other things?

"So it's the wooing stage," His uncle nods sagely. "Such an annoying time; just be persistent and you'll have her in your bed in no time."

"What kind of advice is that for your nephew?" His uncle's wife growls; the man in turn seems to pale.

With how everyone talks with or over one another, Aomine finds himself getting a headache. Can they not just shut up? Maybe he can sneak out of the room without anyone noticing. Living by himself for so long must have spoiled him, because this amount of conversation is annoying. Aomine sighs, shifting the toddler he holds with his legs and leaning back in to the plush couch he sits in. He loves and enjoys his family, but not when their attention is on him and he actually has to pay attention to what's going on to avoid any misunderstandings.

"I'm not in a stage; we're just friends."

"That's what I used to tell my family." His uncle snickers; the rest of the adults in the room seem to nod in agreement before watching him with too similar smirks. In response to their subtle taunts, he narrows his eyes and stands after picking up the toddler he supports with his legs and depositing the kid on to the couch with his cousins.

"I'll be back for dinner." He calls, stepping out of the room and on to the warm wood platform that separates the house from the yard. They all might think that he's annoyed with their teasing, but he makes no move to appease them. If they think he's upset, then they'll stop bringing it up, surely.

"Daiki! We were just teasing; don't leave!" His aunt calls. He ignores her, instead choosing to pull out the phone that had been vibrating incessantly in his pocket for the past couple minutes. As expected, it's Kise—he presses the call button and holds his phone to his ear.

"Aominecchi!"

"Aren't you at physical therapy?" He asks, bypassing any preamble in their conversation as he makes his way towards his room. There aren't any scuttling footsteps that follow after him; but he hears a loud call from one of the brats about, 'Daiki's calling his girlfriend!' Stupid punk doesn't know anything, but whatever. They can all think what they want. There's no way Aomine is going to break it to them that he's not interested in any girl.

"Eh? You don't want to talk with me?" Kise complains.

"Do I ever?" He asks in response, purposefully teasing the other. Without a doubt, Kise is pouting; Aomine smirks a bit at the mental image.

"That's mean, Aominecchi." Kise drawls, his tone mocking hurt. "And here I am actually missing you."

"Shut up," He says, no bite attached to his words. For a while now Kise has been saying embarrassing things; Aomine never takes it to heart, but it makes him embarrassingly happy to hear such things nonetheless. "Why aren't you focusing on rehabilitation?"

"I'm multitasking!" Kise protests.

"Ah? You have the attention span for that?" He asks, sitting on the raised platform outside his room like he did nearly two weeks ago when Kise had called before, back when his realization was fresh and utterly terrifying.

"I've become better at a lot of things while you've been away." Kise huffs, but the attempted sound of annoyance fails to mask how excited the blonde is. Aomine had heard earlier that Kise had been learning to cook under Sakurai's teachings; he wonders if the idiot can actually make something edible though, even with someone like Sakurai guiding him. Last he knew, Kise could only make burnt toast. "Sakurai-kun says I'm improving a lot in the kitchen; when you come back, you'll have to try my bentos."

"Sure," He says, idly watching as a dragonfly perches a top one of his toes. When he shifts his foot slightly, the insect flies away before landing in the same place. "I want stewed beef, simmered vegetables, grilled chicken, an omelet with—"

"W-wait! Sakurai-kun hasn't let me use the stove by myself stove yet." Kise cries, "I'm sure I can learn all of that by the time you get back though… just let me write it down or something."

Aomine smirks down at the dragonfly on his toe and leans backwards in to the hand he has placed on the ground. He's not getting his hopes up, mostly because he doesn't want this silly crush to go anywhere, but he likes how Kise is willing to go out of his way to do stupid things for him. The model really should be focusing on other things though, like school or work or physical therapy—Aomine's not as important.

"I'll eat whatever you make; don't worry about it." He says. "Do your stretches properly."

"Aominecchi should come back and help me." Kise whines.

"Don't be a lazy ass." Aomine grunts, mentally berating himself for where his mind immediately goes with 'stretching' and 'Kise'. His sixteen year old body can't handle such thoughts right now while he has no physical outlet but his hand. "You're capable of doing that much by yourself."

"Mn," Kise groans quietly; the blonde sounds discouraged and Aomine can only begin to imagine why. It's been nearly five months and nothing has happened to indicate improvement in Kise's condition—it's only natural to get frustrated. They should have expected this from the start though, because regardless of what the therapist says, the doctor already gave his diagnosis for Kise's condition. He wonders how long Kise will continue hoping and what will happen when the blonde's determination finally burns out. Well, Aomine supposes he already knows what he'll do…

"I'll be back in less than two weeks." He says, "I'll help you then."

When Kise can't keep moving forward, Aomine will be there to drag him.

* * *

When school starts again, Kise is pleasantly surprised to find that Aomine, Sakurai, and he once again share the same class. Because of his busy schedule and his mom wanting to spend time together at the end of vacation, he hadn't been able to welcome Aomine back home, but now he waits with bated breath in their assigned classroom. They've talked nearly every day; it makes Kise happy to know that he's gotten so close to his old friend. After the Kaijō incident, he didn't think that would be possible again. Although his old team had spent the summer earning his forgiveness before university began, and although Kise is happy with the attention and how they didn't leave him, he still can't help but to feel jaded. Getting so close and giving so much of himself to people is terrifying now; he likes to think he's learning to stop being so naïve, but he looks at his friends now and doesn't think that's possible. It's not like him to run away—he just wishes it wasn't like him to put himself in to positions that he can be easily hurt.

Of course, he doesn't think any one of his friends now would do that, but he can't help but to wonder.

"I don't even get a greeting?" A voice behind him starts; the gruffness causes Kise to jump from where he sits beside the window. With a quick turn of his head he sees Aomine. The girth of the smile that takes over his face makes his eyes squint—his mom would probably slap him for smiling such an ugly smile, but he can't help himself.

"Aominecchi!" He cries, turning to shift in his seat. In a casual movement, Aomine leans back to sit on the desk beside Kise's. For a moment, they simply look at one another; being watched should be something he's used to, but when it's Aomine's stormy eyes, Kise finds he becomes self-conscious and too warm under the collar. To divert attention from himself, he chuckles and says, "I think Aominecchi grew over summer. I'll never be able to keep up!"

"Eh?" Aomine asks, one of his eyebrows rising inquisitively as he looks down at himself. "I didn't notice."

"Not by much, but Aominecchi is definitely taller." Kise says, showing with his thumb and forefinger just how much the other had grown. He goes on with a chuckle, "I wonder if anyone else grew? Wouldn't it be terrifying if Murasakibaracchi continued growing?"

"He's too tall already." Aomine grunts as he tilts his head to the side. It's obvious Kise is getting a once-over; he shuffles slightly in his seat, readjusting the stifling blazer he wears. When the model returns his attention to the power forward, Aomine is scowling and narrows his eyes when they make contact with Kise's. "And you're too damn skinny; I thought you'd at least look normal, with how often you talked about cooking with Sakurai."

"Eh? Too skinny?" Kise gawks, looking down at himself before looking back to Aomine with pursed lips. "Am not; I'm just not as toned anymore."

"Bullshit—you've probably been eating like a bird again since I've left, huh?" Aomine growls.

"It's hard to eat when you aren't hungry," Kise huffs, offering Aomine a pouty look through long, dark lashes. Although such a look will get Kise what he wants with other people, it doesn't seem to affect Aomine in the least in this situation. "I don't exactly move around that much to be hungry in the first place, y'know?"

"Your mother is a slave driver; of course your scrawny ass moves." Aomine says, leaning forward intimidatingly. On instinct alone, Kise leans back in to the wall his desk is pressed against.

"Why am I being scolded first thing after break!?" He complains. "Can't we talk about our summers like everyone else?"

"I know everything about your damn summer, moron. I have the phone bill to prove it." Aomine grunts, propping one of his feet against the edge of Kise's desk. "What else is there to know?"

"Um. How about—uh—"He starts, but is unable to think of anything; they really had been talking a lot over the past month. Kise laughs sheepishly and scratches the back of his head. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am." The power forward scoffs, but before they're able to talk more, the bell rings signaling the start of classes. Even though the teacher has assigned seating, Aomine ignores any order to sit in the front, and instead chooses to sit in back with Kise. The teacher gives up after a brief argument with the bluenette, sighing audibly about how the warnings he received earlier were not for naught. Kise chuckles softly to himself, twirling a pencil between his fingers while contemplating how the current year is going to be even better than last year.

"Aominecchi should walk me to physical therapy after school!" Kise says as soon as lunch break begins. Sakurai pulls up a seat to sit beside the pair and listens in on their conversation quietly as he eats. The blonde makes no move to pull anything out, but his appetite had been growing worse over the past few months; he figures waiting until he gets home will be fine.

"Can't. I have practice." Aomine says, snagging a piece of meat from Sakurai's bento. The blonde reminds himself that he really needs to learn how to make what Aomine likes—if he does then he'd be able to bring his friend lunch every day. As soon as the random thought passes through his head, Aomine's words catch up to him and he stares in surprise at the power forward.

It's not like he's forgotten that they all play basketball, but he hadn't thought the new season would come so quickly and without his being able to participate. It's a harsh wake-up call that makes his breath catch painfully in his chest. As he's done at most of his therapy appointments as of late, he inhales, exhales, and smiles. "That's right, huh?" He asks. "I forgot, hahahah."

While Sakurai and Aomine chat about incoming freshmen and Momoi's new training menu, Kise listens in quietly. It sucks—it really does. He wants to play with his new friends, but even when he tries moving the toes in his left leg, they remain still.

"_You'll probably never be able to walk again with that leg, let alone play basketball."_

It could be because the thought was too painful, but Kise never fully thought about what he would do if physical therapy didn't help him regain the ability to use his leg. It's been five months with no improvement, and his mom isn't going to keep paying for the pricy treatment forever; what's he going to do when he has to finally accept that he's not going to get better?

He doesn't know.

By the time school ends, Aomine and Sakurai rush off to the gym after confirming that Kise would be okay getting down the stairs by himself. Kise doesn't know if he's thankful for their departure or miserable that he's alone, but settles on thankful because even when his friends are present he can't help but to feel sad. Model or not, sometimes it's hard to smile when he doesn't feel like it.

When he passes the gymnasium and hears the familiar sounds of sneakers squeaking and a ball bouncing, he leans against the wall just beside the opened door and breathes.

In, out.

In, out.

In—

Kise bites his lip, amber eyes training to the ground and squinting to bay back frustrated tears. He's frustrated, angry, jealous. It's petty to be so envious of others, but Kise knows he isn't above such feelings. He wants his leg back. He wants to play basketball with his friends. He wants to compete with them. He wants to be a part of a team.

—out.

He wants to stop feeling so useless.

* * *

She's not the best mother, but even she is able to realize when something is wrong with her child. It starts after his accident and continues on throughout the following months. It's strange to her, who always sees her son so happy and vivacious; Ryouta becomes more quiet, more withdrawn. It never affects his work, but she worries nonetheless.

"You're not eating again?" She asks, brows furrowing as she looks at the food that was merely shoved around on a plate in attempt to make it appear as less. It's been like this for months; she'll comment here and there, but Ryouta always reassures her that he's fine—that he had a big lunch with his friends from school. It's obvious she's being lied to, but she makes no comment. Her son's performance at shoots and interviews is fine for now.

"I'm not very hungry tonight." Ryouta says, smiling weakly at her from where he sits across from her.

"Are you feeling ill?" She asks, reaching across the table to put the back of her hand to his forehead. Maybe she's working him too hard? Her son isn't running a fever, but he looks tired and disheartened. She withdraws and looks to Ryouta worriedly, "What's wrong?"

"My stomach hurts." Ryouta says, laying his chopsticks across his bowl of rice. He looks so miserable that she can feel her heart clench. She's an awful mother—she doesn't know what to do. She can make sure her boy will have a successful future, but anything else is beyond her.

"Do you need me to take you to a doctor?" She asks.

Ryouta laughs and waves his hands dismissively in front of him, "No, no! I'm alright. I'll just lie down for a while. Sorry for troubling you to get dinner."

"It's no trouble, Ryouta. I'll put it away for later, for if you feel better." She says, already standing to gather his dishes. The boy thanks her before hobbling down the hall to his room without another word. As she begins storing the food, she sighs. She can't be mad at Ryouta, because his work hasn't suffered at all, but she's worried—she's never seen her son so depressed before.

'Maybe I'll call the doctor anyways… and have them reevaluate Ryouta's condition.'

She knows that there's nothing she can do to make her son feel better, but if the doctors can somehow give Ryouta good news, maybe that will help? Tiredly, she falls back in to the chair at the table she had been sitting at moments earlier. She stares blankly at her meal before raising her hand to rub her temple.

Why can't she be a better mother?

* * *

**_A/N: _**_First of all, thank you again to everyone that read/reviewed the last chapter! And thank you to everyone that read/will maybe review this chapter; it means a lot to me hearing from you. (: Anyways, hopefully the time skip wasn't too bad. On the plus side, there's a lot of Aokise and development? So sorry, guys. OTL I'm not really overjoyed with this chapter, but I think that's just life influencing me right now. Next chapter I promise to try my best to get something better out, because you all deserve perfection. ;A;_

_On the plus side, tumblr. And art. A beautiful anon-artist drew me art and I'm going to shamelessly promote it. The link will be up on my profile soon (hopefully), so check it out if you have time. And maybe review too, because those things are incredibly encouraging and always get me writing. Thank you everyone for your patience and support! 'Til next time. C:_

_Also, if you haven't already checked, my tumblr page has some drabbles that aren't posted here on fanfiction. (:_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Title: **Just Breathe (12/?)_  
_**Rating: **T_  
_**Pairings: **Eventual Aokise, Imayoshi/Sakurai_  
_**Warnings: **Unbeta'd, possible OOCness_  
_**Word Count:** 8300 approx._  
_**Summary: **Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time._  
_**A/N:** First of all, I need to apologize for some big mistakes I made in the previous chapter regarding culture and the school year. I got a lot confused/wrong with the school year and semesters and classes and I'm just so sorry everyone. ;n; Total disappointment, I know. So I wanted to write an apology to everyone. Hopefully you can forgive me! ;A; I'm. So. Sorry!_

_And now on to thank you's, because everyone who read/favorite/alerted/reviewed is just wonderful and deserve all the praise in the world. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement! I really hope that you enjoy this chapter; there's so much drama. _

* * *

It's only natural that he would be more aware of Kise. The prior school year he had always kept an eye on the model to make sure the other didn't get hurt, and while he still does that, sometimes he only looks for the sake of seeing Kise. To see Kise's expression, to see what or how Kise is doing, to see if maybe Kise is looking at him too. Their teacher will snap at him to face forward instead of sideways in his seat, but when he faces forward he can't see the blonde that sits behind him, so he scoffs and waits for the teacher to give up. He's attending classes; the old man can't complain. Somehow Satsuki will always hear about what happened and scold him, but after a day or so he'll always return to his same routine.

Today is one of those days where he shamelessly returns to glancing at Kise from out of his peripheral. He hates having to take his eyes off of the idiot, because it feels like with every passing moment Kise becomes _less_. The exuberant personality is still there, but it's obvious that it's an act so that no one will worry. Aomine wishes that Kise would realize that acting like that can do the opposite too, especially to the people that know him well. He sighs quietly to himself and makes note about how Kise has succeeded in looking paler than the day before and how the blonde's strong features are starting to become too prominent. It's disturbing, but no one can get him to eat at lunch; between Satsuki, Sakurai, the fans, _him_—nothing works. The idiot just smiles and waves his hand dismissively, as if the simple gesture can ease their concerns.

It's annoying, really. During breaks at practices, his friends will gather around him, trying to make sense of what's going on with the crippled boy. No one can figure it out though. It seems sudden, but when Aomine thinks about it, maybe it's not. Maybe Kise had just been better at hiding it before. It wouldn't be a surprise, but he keeps this thought to himself; he'll talk to Kise about it personally later.

Later probably won't happen soon though, because Kise is sleeping through their math lesson and the teacher has noticed. It's not a big deal, but with how sick the model looks, Aomine doesn't want anyone bothering the clearly exhausted boy. As the teacher frowns deeply and saunters over with a book in hand, Aomine slams his hand a top his desk and says,

"5.768."

The random call makes everyone jump, thus diverting any attention away from the small forward behind him to himself. Sakurai looks relieved from where he sits diagonal to him, having apparently noticed Kise's condition. Aomine briefly glances at the other who offers him a worried look before turning to their stunned teacher. The shock wears off quickly and the man beams at him, clapping his hands together once excitedly.

"Very good, Aomine-san!" The teacher exclaims, "Why don't you show the class how you got your answer?"

"Huh?" He asks blankly, because _no_. The only reason he knew the answer was because he looked at the paper of the girl next to him. If he doesn't go though, then Kise will probably get in to trouble, so he grumbles and stands. As he walks towards the front of the class, he snags Sakurai's paper from off of the latter's desk. There's a quiet squeak, but the teacher doesn't take notice.

"So even Aomine-san applies himself. This is great news!" The teacher praises, motioning towards the whiteboard. As he copies Sakurai's work on to the board with a blue pen, he hears happy sounds of approval from his left where the teacher stands. When he finishes and the teacher inspects his work in awe, Aomine starts towards his seat, pausing to return Sakurai's paper before plopping in to his own chair. Some students chuckle at his slyness and at the teacher's obliviousness, but he ignores them in favor of pretending to stretch, dropping a closed fist so that it hits Kise's head. The boy behind him grunts, complaining quietly about how Aomine's action had hurt.

"Lunch is in an hour; stay up until then, idiot." He mutters, glancing back to see Kise prop his head up with his hand while staring in to space with eyes half lidded. The model offers him a small smile as a show of thanks, but all Aomine can see is exhaustion. Maybe it would have been best if the model kept lying down—he looks awful.

At break he'll ask what's going on, but for now he'll just sit up a bit straighter to hopefully hide Kise from view. Said plan seems to work, although it could just be the teacher doesn't want to jinx what could be a new start with Aomine participating in class.

"Are you feeling ill, Kise-kun? It's not like you to fall asleep in class." Sakurai says, turning in his seat to face the pair behind him. Students still shuffle to get out of the classroom for lunch, but no one pays them any mind.

"Yeah. I think I'm going to go to the infirmary." Kise says, a forced laugh tacked on to the end of his statement. As the model shifts to reach for his crutches, Aomine can't help but to notice how the small forward's leg drags across the floor. It's depressing.

Wait. Could it be that _Kise_ is depressed?

"H-Hey!" He calls, stumbling out of his seat quickly to catch Kise when the other suddenly collapses after standing. In his flurry of movement, his desk is shoved forward and his chair falls on to its side, but he's able to catch Kise before the other hits the ground. The awkwardness of his hold on the blonde causes him to fall back on his butt with Kise lying safely against his chest. Students stop and peer inside the classroom while others rush towards them. Sakurai panics, kneeling behind him in an attempt to see their fallen friend. Aomine can feel his heart racing; what's going on? Why did Kise fall like that? Is Kise okay? "Kise? Hey!"

A hand is placed lightly against his chest; he can feel the strain in how Kise tries to push himself away and how the blonde ultimately fails. Kise breathes a shallow breath and apologizes before resting his forehead against Aomine's chest where his heart thunders relentlessly against its confines. Hopefully Kise can't hear the embarrassing thumps, but with how tightly Kise squeezes his eyes shut, Aomine doubts that will be a problem. He can hear students calling that they'll go find a nurse; the panicked comment reminds him of the situation and he focuses his attention down at the blonde that remains still for the most part.

"You okay?" He asks, even if he already knows that Kise isn't. "Does it hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine, just lightheaded." Kise says, offering him a practiced smile upon slowly raising his blonde head from where it had rested upon his chest. "Sorry, Aominecchi."

"You better not be lying." He growls, and Kise laughs.

"I just stood up too quickly!"

"K-Kise-kun shouldn't have fallen over like that if it was just from light headedness; it was like you blacked out." Sakurai stutters as he moves around Aomine and a couple of desks so that he can kneel beside them both. He offers the brunette a fleeting look that Sakurai bites his lip anxiously at—they're both coming to the same conclusion—one that they'll be talking to Momoi about during practice and _fixing_.

"Come on." Aomine sighs, shifting Kise slightly so that he can get them both to stand. He's used as a crutch, but he doesn't mind; having Kise lean against him so heavily is nice, minus the given situation. With a huff, he deposits the model on to a desk before turning around and crouching; when he looks over his shoulder, Kise stares at him quizzically. Aomine rolls his eyes and faces forward again, "Get on, you moron."

"I can walk, Aominecchi." Kise says, smiling that disarming smile that he had been smiling all week. It's an obvious attempt to make the situation seem less serious, but Aomine isn't having it today.

"I don't care. Get on." Aomine says, glaring forward at nothing in particular.

"Here," Sakurai says, helping the difficult bastard from off the desk and on to his back. He grasps the backs of Kise's thighs as soon as said model situates himself and waits until Kise wraps his arms around his neck before standing. The movement causes Kise to subconsciously hold him more tightly; he tries not to get flustered but feels his cheeks heat up regardless.

"Aominecchi is being so nice." Kise chuckles; the reverberations of the model's chest as he laughs vibrate against his back and makes him grasp Kise's legs more tightly.

"Shut up," Aomine growls, because he hasn't forgotten what this whole mess is truly about. "You won't be saying that later. We need to talk."

"Eh? About what?" Kise asks, lowering his head to rest on Aomine's shoulder. Fearing that Kise may be dizzy, Aomine slows down his pace.

"You." Aomine says simply, opening the door to the nurse's office with his foot before striding in. There's no nurse inside, but Tōō's nurse has a tendency of taking extended lunch breaks. She probably won't be back until after classes start again.

"What about me?" Kise asks, guiding himself on to the bed as soon as Aomine positions him beside it. The mattress is stiff and uncomfortable, but the model's weary body doesn't seem to mind. Stormy eyes watch as Kise lies down and sighs deeply. When Aomine lowers himself on to the edge of the bed, he sighs too while inspecting his friend. As if sensing his looks, Kise cracks his eyes open and smiles. "Sorry, Aominecchi. Besides light headed, I'm actually pretty tired."

"No shit. You don't have any energy." He snaps, glancing away anxiously.

"What do you mean?" Kise asks.

"Don't play dumb," Aomine says, narrowing his eyes at the model. The foot he has on the ground bounces agitatedly against white linoleum—it's too much like the hospital. He can't have Kise going back there though. No way. "You don't eat enough! It's finally getting to you."

"But I'm not hungry." Kise complains, curling in on himself slightly. In response, he groans and scratches the back of his head in frustration. Just because you're not hungry doesn't mean you starve.

"Well then what are you?" He huffs impatiently, shifting to get more comfortable on the bed. His eyes never stray from Kise's, although the model looks away from him. "Tell me." He orders.

"I don't know what you mean." Kise denies.

"You do." Aomine states as he lowers his head slightly to forcefully establish eye contact. He's not dealing with Kise's evasions now, not when Kise just collapsed. Not when Kise looks miserable. In a voice he forcefully calms, he seethes, "So _tell me_."

The model looks torn, battered, broken, and as if he's being kept together by only his own willpower. Amber eyes shift restlessly between the floor and a pale hand that grasps at white bed sheets. The model breathes deeply through his nose before a shuddering breath escapes his mouth. The fake smile that had been on the model's face is still faintly there, but fades the longer they sit in silence. When Aomine feels that Kise is finally ready to talk, the door slides open behind him. Both of them look towards the newcomer with different expressions—Kise with a strangled smile in an attempt to look normal, and Aomine with a glower.

Sakurai is going to _get it_ at practice later.

"O-oh. Sorry. I interrupted." Sakurai mumbles ashamedly, dropping his head from guilt. He leans Kise's crutches that he carries against the wall before approaching them with a bento that he cautiously hands to Aomine. "M-Momoi-san said to give this to you; I'm really sorry. I'm so, so sorry!"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Sakurai-kun!" Kise says happily, pushing himself up from where he had been laying down. The blonde is using Sakurai as a means of getting out of conversation with him, but they've become too close for him to tolerate that. "Thank you for—"

"Get out." He growls, narrowing his eyes at the brunette.

"I'm sorry!" Sakurai exclaims, bowing low before he scurries out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

"That wasn't very nice, Aominecchi. Sakurai-kun was just being helpful." Kise says, tone full of playful recrimination. It's annoying having his concern brushed off so easily, but if he's anything, it's persistent. He opens the bento Satsuki had her mother prepare, placing the box on top of one of his legs as he retrieves chopsticks from its separate compartment.

"Shut up," He says half-heartedly, pinching at a neatly folded omelet until it breaks apart in to a small piece. When he glances at Kise, the other doesn't appear interested in the food in the slightest. In fact, Kise just chuckles at him like the moron he is. He clicks his tongue and grabs the omelet with his chopsticks, holding the fluffy egg to Kise's mouth. "If you want to run your mouth, then chew this."

"Hm?" Kise questions while he looks down at the food before raising his hands in a 'no thank you' gesture. The small forward titters and says, "Thanks, but I told you before that I'm not—"

"I told _you_ before: I don't care." Aomine huffs while shoving the small portion of food in to Kise's mouth. As expected, the model doesn't spit it out, but he looks confused. Rolling his eyes at the blonde's expression, Aomine takes a few bites of food himself before tearing the omelet apart again. He mumbles, "Or maybe I do. So just eat, okay?"

When he brings the food to Kise's mouth this time, there's a brief pause, but Kise opens his mouth willingly and eats. His heart stops thumping so heavily in his chest at the appeasement, and he sighs quietly to himself in relief. This is a start—this is good.

From there, they take turns eating. Aomine wonders if Kise would have eaten sooner had he properly expressed his worry over the matter. Will Kise even eat after this when Aomine isn't there? Should he talk about that?

"You'll still eat my bento when I'm able to make it, right?" Kise asks after swallowing a mouthful of food; it's something that he recently notices, but Kise raises his hand to cover his mouth as he chews—it's funny, weird, and cute all at once. It's probably a nervous habit; Kise's mom would never let him get away with that if she were to see.

The question Kise asks makes him pause with his food halfway to his mouth. Before eating his meal, he says, "That's what I said this summer, right? Nothing's changed."

And it's true, _nothing_ has changed. They're still friends. They still talk about stupid crap. They're still there for each other (although this is a more recent development). The only thing that has changed is Aomine's new crush, but Kise knows nothing of that. The blunt reminder makes Kise smile a wobbly grin that quickly falters in to a mess of quivering lips and salty tears and sniffles. The suddenness of the breakdown leaves him at a loss, but he's aware enough to set his lunch aside and scoot closer to Kise, offering the other's drawn up leg an awkward pat.

"This is just like the hospital, huh?" Kise laughs as he wipes at his tears with the backs of his hands.

"Yeah." Aomine says, waiting through another silence as Kise pieces himself back together. He doesn't know if he should hug the model right now or what; crush or not, he's still hopeless in these situations.

"I'm really frustrated, Aominecchi." Kise admits, continuing to rub furiously at his eyes. There's another pause, but only for Kise to take a shuddering breath. "And I feel awful. _All the time_."

The evenness of Kise's voice is interrupted by a hitched breath here and there; the other's face is splotchy from crying and trying to repress tears. It makes his heart clench in a way that he's never felt before. It's probably because he likes Kise—he wants to help him so badly, but he doesn't know what to do or what to say. He's happy that Kise's being so honest with him; he's happy Kise trusts him enough to see him in a way probably no one ever has, but at the same time he's angry because once again he's in a situation where he can't do a thing to make things better. While he fails to think of something to say, Kise continues brokenly, "I should be happy, because I have Aominecchi and Momoicchi and Sakurai-kun and my career is great and my mom is happy, but… but I'm not. I'm just jealous. And petty and ungrateful and—and I just want to be able to walk, Aominecchi. I want to be able to play basketball again with everyone."

So many confessions make his head spin, but he doesn't let that deter him. Right now, Kise is depressed. Kise is sad and lonely and angry and hurt and this is the first time that all of this is probably being said. Throwing caution to the wind, Aomine leans over, wrapping his arm around Kise and pulling the model forward in to an awkward hug they both have to shift in to get comfortable. Tear stains are left on his button down shirt, but he's not bothered. The hand he uses to keep Kise pulled up to him plays with the blonde strands at the nape of Kise's neck as he listens to the small forward cry. He just needs to let Kise get this out of his system; even if it hurts to listen to, he can't tell the other to stop.

After too long, Kise's shoulders stop trembling and the warm tears he had been able to feel through his shirt aren't added to. There's simply breathing that slowly comes to match his own intakes and exhales of air. When he thinks Kise is fine, he pulls away. The model's eyes are swollen and red-rimmed; cheeks are flushed and a nose drips unattractively with snot. He snorts a bit at how Kise still manages to look good even when he's a wreck as he reaches over to snag a tissue from out of the box on the nurse's desk beside the bed.

"Clean yourself up; you look disgusting." He says. The teasing words make Kise laugh; Aomine relishes in the sound and how Kise and his fingers brush when the former takes the tissue from him.

"Thank you." Kise murmurs, dabbing at his eyes before blowing his nose. Once he's done, the blonde throws the paper in to a nearby trash bin and a melancholy look overcomes Kise's features. Amber, bloodshot eyes turn to look at him before glancing down at the sheets of the infirmary bed. Kise continues, "I'm sorry for crying like that too; I just—"

"You don't have to explain yourself, idiot." Aomine says, reaching back for his lunch in an attempt to normalize the situation. He doesn't want Kise getting all strange. After taking a bite of food, he mutters, "Next time you feel crappy, just talk about it instead of keeping it to yourself for so long. I told you before that I wouldn't think less of you."

"But," Kise starts; Aomine levels him with a glare that stops any protest.

"I _want_ you to talk to me about these sorts of things." He growls. The heat that takes over his face is unbearable; why can't Kise just _get it_ instead of making him say such embarrassing things? "I'm not good with these sorts of things, but seeing you make yourself sick is even worse—so just… rely on me—us," He corrects, even if a part of him would rather selfishly monopolize Kise's attention and dependency. A sigh escapes him and he returns to the remainder of his meal, poking at it half-heartedly. He's so fucking embarrassed; why couldn't Sakurai interrupt now instead of earlier? As he muses, he fails to notice Kise's expression changing. The only thing he notices is Kise's hand when it wraps around his own, guiding the chopsticks he holds a piece of meat in to the former's mouth.

While he stares in stunned silence, Kise swallows the small bite of food before giving Aomine a small smile. His heart thunders in his chest; when Kise lets go of his hand, it slowly lowers to rest a top the mattress. Suddenly, it's unbearably warm in the room, but the uncomfortable heat is quickly doused by Kise's words, "Aominecchi is a really good friend."

Blue eyes widen and his grip on the plastic sticks in his hand tightens, because _what_? He's probably reading in to it too much, but is he being _friend zoned_? No—no, he hasn't hinted at his feelings at all, so there's no way—he's just being paranoid. But why does he care? His feelings won't amount to anything, he's already told himself that, so what does it matter?

Before he even thinks it through, he finds himself asking, "Go to dinner with me tonight."

* * *

The breakdown he had earlier doesn't make him feel better. If anything, he feels more exhausted than he had before. His body feels heavy, he feels no desire to move, he just wants to close his eyes for a while and not have to worry about breathing. 'Pull yourself together,' He tells himself, because there are people worrying about him and he can't selfishly allow that to happen. He's already caused enough trouble as is; he needs to be happier!

"Oof!" he grunts upon falling. The physical therapist has him standing between two bars, using them as support as he tries to get his leg to move. Upon putting weight on to his left leg though, he finds himself on the floor. 'Get up,' He tries to tell himself, but regardless of his own demands his body doesn't respond. With a harsh curse directed towards himself, he forces his arms to prop him up—he doesn't want to stay down; he's _sick_ _of it_.

As he pulls himself up using the bars on either side of him, the physical therapist comes in. At first Kise doesn't acknowledge the other's presence, but then he realizes that the other is talking. Not to him, but to someone else. Curiosity piqued, he glances over his shoulder and sees a wheelchair bound teen. The brunette looks familiar, but Kise can't place a name to the face. While he's staring, the physical therapist turns to him with a cool smile.

"This is Kise Ryouta; he'll be here at the same times as you. Please get along." The man says, motioning to the blonde. "And Kise-kun? This is Kiyoshi Teppei. Treat him well, please."

"Ah," Kise says, offering both men a smile. It takes him a few moments, but he turns his body to face the pair. With amber eyes on Kiyoshi, he brightens his grin and says, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kiyoshi-san!"

"The pleasure's mine, Kise-san." Kiyoshi says, a smile of his own spreading across his face. For the next few minutes, the therapist goes over what Kiyoshi needs to do. He's able to piece together certain things about what happened to the wheelchair-bound boy's knee; although he feels awful, Kiyoshi has an air about him that makes everything seem okay. It's strange. When they're finally left to themselves, the brunette turns to him with a casual, laid-back smile. He says, "Kise-san probably doesn't remember, but I played on Seirin's basketball team."

"Eh?" He asks, surprised at the information. From where he stretches a ways away, he looks Kiyoshi over and realizes that it's true. With an embarrassed laugh, he scratches the back of his head and says, "I'm sorry; I didn't even realize."

"It's okay." Kiyoshi says, shifting his chair a bit to better face Kise. The tall center's smile morphs in to something less relaxed and more sympathetic as his eyebrows draw slightly together, "But what about you? How are you holding up?"

"I'm great." Kise lies immediately, pasting his model grin on to his face. "Thank you."

In response, Kiyoshi laughs richly. When the brunette finishes, he gives Kise a fond look—it throws the blonde off because they've just met. The model prides himself on being amicable, but this is really too fast. Kiyoshi says, "You don't look too great."

"That's not nice, Kiyoshi-san." Kise pouts as he continues with his stretching.

"Ah, ah. I didn't mean it like that." Kiyoshi says, grinning as he waves his hand about dismissively. When he drops his hand back to the arm rest of the wheelchair, he offers Kise a calculating look that causes the blonde to shift uncomfortably. "When I was in your position two years ago, I know I wasn't great. I tried to act it, but I wasn't."

When he doesn't respond, Kiyoshi continues, voice calm and relaxed and everything that Kise doesn't feel on the inside. How can this guy be so calm while he's injured? How can he appear so okay when he can't even enjoy his last year of basketball? Kise doesn't understand. "You can be honest; I learned that from my friends. It doesn't do anyone any good to hide things."

The words strike a chord in him; it's like Kiyoshi is speaking about what he's been doing with his life ever since the accident. It's unnerving having a stranger know him so well. In fact, the wisdom is scary. Maybe that's only because this person is a _stranger_ though. As he stretches over his legs, pulling back on his toes, he says, "Kiyoshi-san is a very honest and straightforward person to strangers."

"Strangers…? Oh!" The sagely air about the older teen seems to vanish at the comment before laughter fills the room. When Kise glances at the brunette, he sees that Kiyoshi scratches the back of his head embarrassedly. "I forgot; when I had visited you at the hospital you were asleep. Since I had talked at you so much, it felt like we had become rather close."

"You visited me?" Kise asks, raising his head slightly to look at the other with surprise evident in his features.

"Of course I did." Kiyoshi says, a small lopsided grin on his lips. "We may not have known each other, but I still knew what you were going through, in a sense. It's isolating and frustrating—sometimes you just get to wondering _why_."

Kise was never alone throughout everything—he's always had Aomine and Kasamatsu and his new friends and old teammates, but there had always been a level of disconnect. No one had been able to fully understand him; he hopes no one ever will, yet Kiyoshi does. All the burdens that weigh him down suddenly don't feel as heavy and he doesn't feel so depressingly alone. The smile that's directed at him is encouraging, patient, and kind; Kise finds himself becoming flustered under the caring gaze and hides his face in his knees as he stretches.

"But, it gets better."

"How do you know that?" Kise asks.

"Huh? I don't." Kiyoshi laughs. "It can't get much worse for either of us though, right?"

For a moment, he's flabbergasted. What Seirin's center says is true though; he's embarrassed over the pity party he's been caught in. When he chances a look back at Kiyoshi, the other has an understanding look on his features. It makes Kise relax and smile just slightly, "Yeah."

They go on to talk about random things; mainly stupid stuff that the physical therapist rolls his eyes at. Basketball comes up a lot, but it's not as painful to talk about as it is compared to when he tries talking with his other friends. Inter High is around the corner; the knowledge surprises him when his new friend informs him, but he supposes that it's getting to be that time again. Kiyoshi tells him that even without his being on Seirin, the team is still strong. Kise goes on to counter that there's no way Tōō will lose to them again. The lighthearted competitiveness is refreshing; he won't say it aloud, but he adores how supportive Kiyoshi can be despite his given situation. It's admirable and Kise wishes he could grow up and feel similarly.

"All we can do is support them for now." Kiyoshi says, leaning back in to his wheelchair and stretching out his good leg. "I'm sure Kise-san will play again soon; just keep working hard."

The subtle encouragement brightens his mood considerably for seemingly no reason. Kise teasingly says, "When that happens, Seirin definitely won't stand a chance. Aominecchi alone will give them a hard time."

"Those two won't be satisfied with anything less than a challenge." Kiyoshi chuckles. "They really can't wait to play with you again. 'Aominecchi' probably feels the same, huh? He's that guy that was waiting outside of your hospital room the whole time, right?"

"Who the Hell are you calling 'Aominecchi'?" Someone growls as they round the corner; when Kise sees Aomine, he sits up excitedly and grins.

"Aominecchi~!"

"Hey." Aomine grunts, leaning casually against the wall. Blue eyes stray to look towards his new friend, and narrow slightly upon establishing eye contact with the center. It seems as if Aomine is sizing the older teen up, which causes him to laugh. The power forward must be really annoyed by the concept of the nickname Kise made for him sticking with others; he doesn't even consider the possibility that maybe Aomine only likes _him_ using it, or that maybe Aomine is jealous of the attention he gives to Kiyoshi. Such thoughts never cross his mind.

* * *

It's while she's in the middle of defending herself against another misunderstanding of Aomine and her relationship that she hears about Kise. Sakurai barges in to the room, panting and apologizing with little bits of the story of what happened placed here and there. She feels her heart drop once she finally calms him down enough to properly explain. Apparently Kise suddenly collapsed and, while he seems okay now, he isn't.

It's been a while since she figured out that Kise is depressed; it was the subtle things like sighing and a sudden loss of appetite that clued her in among a number of other things. She doesn't know why she didn't confront the model about the issue before, but now she's unbearably guilty. She can't help but to feel that it's all her fault, even though she had been trying in her own way to cheer the model up. Perhaps a part of her thought that since it was Kise, it would be fine? Momoi doesn't know, but she sends Sakurai with a bento her mother prepared for Aomine, knowing full well that her childhood friend will share. For now, that's all she can do. As she goes about her student council duties though, she's mulling over nutrition and what would be best for the blonde—calcium, protein, carbs, fiber—she messed up by not talking to Kise earlier, but for now she can do this.

"You got him to eat?" She asks later at practice, while she has Aomine and the rest of the starters off to the side of the court doing pushups. When Aomine grunts in confirmation, she sighs loudly with relief. She says, "That's good. Is he okay though?"

"Probably not." Aomine says, sweat running from his temple down the line of his jaw as he continues repetitively pushing himself up and lowering himself down. Beside him, Sakurai collapses with a groan.

"What do you mean?"

"He's depressed." He grunts, finishing the last set of pushups before pulling himself off of the ground. As he stretches his arms, he looks down at the manager, "He talked about what was bothering him, but I didn't know what to say to make it better."

"You didn't snap at him, did you?" She asks, tone lowering as she narrows her eyes. Every time she's been down, Aomine was always quick to get annoyed with her and make her angry in return. Of course such acts always pulled her from her own depression, but she doesn't think that treatment would be best for Kise.

"He's not you, so no." He scoffs, walking over towards his towel near the wall to wipe the sweat from his face. After checking that everyone is done and taking a break from the training menu of the day, Satsuki follows, a small smile beginning to tug at her lips.

"That's right. Ki-chan is special, huh?" She teases, skipping over to her friend. As soon as she's close enough, she raises a hand to the side of her mouth to hide her words and whispers, "So how did Dai-chan comfort his crush?"

"That's none of your business." He growls, turning away from her; Momoi notices how her friend keeps his cheeks covered and wonders if the other is blushing. How cute! She giggles and moves to stand in front of him.

"I'm just teasing. What do you think we should do though? To get him to eat more." She asks, head tilting to the side inquisitively.

"I don't know." He shrugs.

"I can bring him food?" Sakurai offers, tiredly walking over to the pair. The brunette's arms swing side to side limply, and when he reaches the wall he leans against it heavily.

"That could work. I'll tell you what to make; he needs certain nutrients more than others, right now." Momoi says, flipping to a clean page on her clipboard to scribble down possible options.

"How about you teach him how to make his own damn food?" Aomine suggests. "That idiot may be sad, but I doubt he wants to be babied. Treat him normally and show him how to make his own meals."

"That's insightful of you, Dai-chan." Momoi says after a brief pause; in response, her friend glares at her and she giggles. She turns to Sakurai and says, "That could be good though, if you don't mind."

"It's no trouble!" Sakurai says hurriedly. "I want to help Kise-kun too, and I'm already teaching him things here and there. I can do it."

For the next few minutes, she tells Sakurai certain things to consider making. On occasion Aomine will throw in foods that he likes; she wants to scold him, but she notices that he only offers the healthy types of food that he likes. It's thoughtful and makes her smile to herself, because Aomine has never been so concerned with a crush before. As she's in the middle of describing a type of dish that she doesn't know the name of, she's interrupted by a call from coach.

"Aomine-kun." The man says; when their trio looks over to the formally dressed man, he motions with his hand to hurry up. Aomine groans quietly and excuses himself without a word, striding over with a sudden air of aloofness to him.

While Sakurai goes back to practice, she walks over to the bench. She can't hear what Coach Katsunori is saying, but she finds herself becoming anxious. Aomine's arms are crossed defensively and his brows are furrowed; it appears as if he's arguing with their coach, but the man shakes his head and her friend's arms drop and he looks upset. What's going on? With another word spat, Aomine storms away towards the locker rooms; the door slams loudly behind him and briefly causes everyone to stop practicing until coach tells them that standing around won't help them win in the Inter High.

"What's going on?" She asks when the man approaches her. He looks tired, worn out, regretful; when he sits, it's without his usual grace. The man seems to fall unceremoniously on to the bench, slouching forward without a thought to place his head in one of his hands. "Coach?"

More quickly than she expected, the man composes himself. He lifts his head, raising a hand to fidget with one of his loose curls as he sighs, "Aomine-san has been suspended from the upcoming tournament."

Momoi feels her heart stop and her breath catch in her throat. She moves forward to stand more closely to the man and frantically stutters, "W-what do you mean? Why?"

"During Winter Cup he got in to a fight with one of the players, apparently." Katsunori says, and Momoi looks away guiltily. She had been sure that Haizaki mess had been done and over with last winter. Of course Aomine had been in the wrong for punching someone, but it was for a good cause! And he'd been training and practicing so hard since their loss against Seirin and—and it's not fair. She balls her hands in to fists and rushes in the direction of the boy's locker room. When she gets to the door, it swings open abruptly and makes her jump back.

"Dai-chan?" She asks, jogging to keep up with his quick, long strides. She can see in his expression and tensed shoulders just how angry he is; she wishes he would slow down so that they could talk properly. When he suddenly stops and turns to face her, she bumps in to him. She doesn't bother backing up, just looks up at him worriedly.

"I don't want to talk about it, Satsuki." He mutters, readjusting the strap of his bag on his shoulder. Blue eyes remain averted no matter how she tries to establish eye contact; she sighs and lowers her head, looking back up only when he continues with a sigh of his own, "I'm leaving first."

With that, she watches as her friend retreats, shoulders slouched inwards tiredly. Momoi waits until he's through the front gate before she turns, returning to the gym with a sad expression on her face that makes all of the boys crowd around her asking if Aomine did something or if she needs anything. Although she doesn't feel like it, she offers them a smile and thanks them before advising them to continue practice. When she sits on the bench, she contemplates if she should call Tetsu—it's not ideal for her to tell him, and thus Kagami, but if they were to find out during an actual match that wouldn't be good either. She sighs, keeping her phone in the pocket of her jacket and picking up a pen to jot notes down about what she sees happening amongst Tōō's team.

For now she'll just wait on Aomine.

* * *

"So, Inter High is coming up." Kise starts lightly, nibbling at his plate of sushi; the restaurant is small and personable—he's never been inside before but he likes it and it's close to home. His stomach turns uncomfortably from hunger, but he eats slowly, appeasing the pain while not embarrassing himself in front of Aomine.

"Yeah." Aomine grunts noncommittally, reaching over to Kise's plate to casually pinch one of the pieces of sushi to bring to his mouth and eat. The blonde makes no protest, just glances down at his own plate that he blatantly pushes closer to Kise.

"You'll tell me when the games are, right? I want to come watch you." Kise says, offering Aomine a smile as he reaches over to the latter's plate. The power forward watches as chopsticks click together, hovering over the food before deciding on one and picking it up.

Aomine purposefully takes a bite of his meal, stalling for time to think of what to say. As soon as he swallows, he grunts, "Yeah. I won't play for a while though."

"Eh?" Kise complains. "Why?"

"Because—" He pauses, but sees the excited gleam in Kise's eyes and stops. He sighs and grabs his water, "Coach wants the new starters to use the beginning matches as practice. Until I'm needed, I won't be there."

"Mn." Kise hums, tapping the tips of the chopsticks in his hand against his dish. He turns to Aomine with a pout, "I understand why he would do that, but it kind of sucks."

"Yeah," The power forward agrees. They lapse in to a silence after that—one that's tense for some reason that Kise can't place. It's strange because the atmosphere with Aomine is _never_ like this. He wonders if maybe something is wrong. Should he ask? Aomine won't know that he's worried unless he does—and just earlier Aomine had been honest with him so…

"Aominecchi?" He asks, glancing sideways at the other. Aomine doesn't look at him; he only plays with his food.

"What?"

"Is everything okay?" Kise questions, lowering his head a bit since Aomine won't look at him. At his obvious movements and desire for proper attention, the tanned teen turns to look at him.

"Yeah." Aomine says.

Kise pouts, glaring childishly at the other. "Aominecchi is lying."

"What makes you say that?" Aomine asks, raising one of his eyebrows inquisitively.

"You're super tense; it's suffocating!" Kise drawls, swaying back and forth in his seat before focusing his attention on Aomine again. He looks to the other with a serious expression then, full of concern because he realizes that he's not the only one with things happening in his life. He says, "If I'm honest with Aominecchi, Aominecchi should be honest with me too."

The immature remark earns him a scoff, but before he has a chance to complain more and press the issue, Aomine says, "I'm just worried about you, idiot."

"Eh?" Kise asks, cheeks flushing at the bluntness of the comment. He finds himself grinning, laughing, and being shoved by an embarrassed Aomine that tells him to shut up. Kise doesn't realize that what he's told is only a partial truth; Aomine knows that the whole truth would break down Kise's already fragile mood though—doing that to the person you like just isn't an option, so he'll keep it to himself. It'll be fine.

* * *

When he gets a call from Kise one afternoon in mid-September, he exits the library he had been sitting in and answers the call curiously. Since school started, he hasn't spoken much with the blonde; he receives texts sporadically throughout the week, but nothing routine. Kise sounds painfully bored when he finally picks up the phone, which causes him to roll his eyes fondly and lean against the wall he stands beside. Apparently the model just finished with a shoot but doesn't want to go home yet; Kasamatsu offers to spend a few hours with him and Kise jumps at the proposal. It's stupid, but he feels better now that they've reconciled. Kasamatsu thinks that he'll never fully earn Kise's forgivingness, but the way things are now is okay too.

They agree on a meeting place and, after he leaves his things in his dorm room, he sets off to meet with his friend. It's easy to spot Kise regardless of the rush of office workers headed home; the blonde's hair is professionally styled from the shoot and he seems to sparkle even though it's overcast. He grumbles a bit at how much Kise sticks out, but as soon as the model spots him and waves at him, his complaints morph in to a contented smile.

"Kasamatsu-senpai~!" Kise sings, swinging towards him on the crutches he still uses.

"Kise." Kasamatsu greets, and they head off in the direction of a shoe store Kise says he wants to check out. As they walk and Kise chats at him idly, he can't help but notice how Kise looks healthier than he had the past few times he'd seen the other. The model is still too thin for Kasamatsu's liking, but he no longer appears to be without energy. He wonders if perhaps that's Aomine's doing—the ace seems to be able to support Kise in a way no one else can.

"How's university?" The blonde asks, looking down at him attentively. The questioning look in the younger boy's eyes turns in to something playful as he continues, "I bet the ladies are all over you now, huh?"

"S-shut up; they aren't." He grunts, cheeks flaring red at the offhanded comment. Grey eyes avert to look in to the street before he concludes, "University is fine, if not a bit boring. It seems I spend all my time studying for classes now."

"Kasamatsu-senpai is so diligent." Kise chuckles.

"So are you," Kasamatsu scoffs under his breath. The blonde looks towards him with a curious look, but he says instead, "Have you thought about universities you'd like to go to?"

"Eh?" Kise asks, seemingly puzzled by the simple question. The befuddled features of the model quickly morph in to a chuckle that leaves Kasamatsu furrowing his brows. When Kise continues, he finds himself frowning, "I'm not going to university."

"Why not? You're smart enough." Kasamatsu says.

Kise merely shrugs and offers him a smile before smoothly changing the subject to basketball—a subject Kise knows he'll never be able to refuse. "Matches for the Inter High are going on! Have you been to any?"

"No, I've been busy." Kasamatsu sighs, "I'd like to go sometime though. What about you? Have you been?"

"Not yet! I'm going to go when Aominecchi plays; apparently Tōō's coach is waiting for bigger matches to let him play." Kise says excitedly. "He's been training a lot—I'm sure he's even more amazing than he was before!"

"Probably," He laughs half-heartedly, because imagining Aomine actually working hard to be better is horrifying—the bluenette was strong already! "If I have free time, maybe I can go watch with you; it's been too long since I've seen a good match."

"Too bad there won't be a good match for Tōō," A person behind them snickers, causing both of them to stop walking to turn and see. They wear similar expressions, both of confusion and slight annoyance over the cocky tone. As soon as he sees who was talking, he can't help but to grimace. It's one of the Kaijō second stringers—probably one that was promoted to a starter position.

"What do you mean?" Kise asks, pursing his lips slightly as he contemplates what the other could mean.

"Didn't you hear? Since it's _you_ there, I had assumed you knew—it's probably your fault, after all." The boy scoffs, crossing his arms as if he's superior to them. Kasamatsu narrows his eyes and steps forward instinctively. The punk ignores him though in favor of smirking tauntingly at the blonde, "You tend to fuck teams over whenever you're around, you know?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kise says; Kasamatsu can hear the hard edge to the other's voice, but when he looks over his shoulder he can see how Kise falters. Could it be that Kise is still bothered about what happened last year? The model knows that it's not his fault though, right?

"Their ace isn't playing." The Kaijo player says.

"That's because Tōō is giving their new starters a chance to get in some practice with actual games." Kasamatsu defends, desperate to appease whatever goes through his kouhai's head; it seemed as if Kise was finally moving on from everything after so long—he's not going to let some bitter jackass ruin that. "Stronger teams can afford to do that."

"Is that what this guy told you, Kasamatsu-senpai?" The boy asks, giving Kise a once-over with a look of disgust. More than anything, he wants to tell this person to shut up, to not call him senpai, and to apologize to Kise for being a dick. Before he can get past glaring coldly at the underclassman, the other continues, "How naïve, it's obvious that's a lie. That ace was suspended from the tournament."

"What?" Kise breathes in surprise, amber eyes wide. "But—what? Why?"

"Because of you, obviously." The boy sneers.

The harsh accusation is said so contemptuously that he finds himself unable to speak. Kise too, stands beside him, opening and closing his mouth while trying to think of something to say to defend himself. When the model's brows pull together and he looks downward, the Kaijō player before them smirks smugly, pushing his hands in to his pockets. Kasamatsu grits his teeth and goes to speak in Kise's defense, but the blonde beside him suddenly looks up, eyes narrowed coldly at the confident teen across from them. It looks as if Kise wants to say something, but bites his tongue. The nameless douche before them strides past them cockily, and leaves them to stand in a terse silence.

"What did you want to say to him?" Kasamatsu asks, glancing at the other anxiously. Instead of looking broken down like he expects, Kise just looks angry.

"That even without Aominecchi playing, he'll still lose." Kise says. The words are harsh, and as soon as they're said the small forward sighs and lowers his head ashamedly. "That's bad sportsmanship though, isn't it?"

"No," Kasamatsu says, even if it actually is. He smiles and reaches up to pat Kise's head fondly, "It's just the truth."

The word seems to make Kise bristle in annoyance for some reason. When he asks if the blonde is alright, Kise smiles at him with a saccharine sweet smile. "Of course," The model says, "I just remembered I need to stop by Aominecchi's house later!" Kasamatsu doesn't understand what's going on or why Kise suddenly seems angry with Aomine, but he's genuinely scared for the power forward. It may have been awhile since he had been actively involved in Kise's life, but he knows that Kise doesn't get aggravated over nothing.

* * *

_**A/N: **Here's chapter 12~! Hopefully it was okay... and wasn't awful; I'm more paranoid about this chapter than I was last chapter! ;A; But there was a lot of development going on, yes? Aokise is moving along steadily and consequences for past actions was going on and... stuff. I also wrote up this timeline for what month it is in each chapter, because a lot of you seemed confused:_

_December: Chapter 1-5  
January: Chapter 6-7  
February: Chapter 8-9  
March: Chapter 9  
April: Chapter 10  
July-August: Chapter 11  
August-September: Chapter 12_

_I'm so sorry for any confusion that goes on or mistakes that I make; I do my best though. I'll definitely try doing better for you guys though. Thank you so much for reading! If you have time, please review or leave me questions if you have them or anything. If you want to leave me an ask or anything on tumblr as well, my name is moustachiopenguin! C: Anyways, thank you for everything, dear readers! I sincerely appreciate every one of you. _

_Just a note, but next week there may not be a chapter. Aside from school (and breaking my fingers over getting this chapter done orz) I have one last drabble to write from way back when that I'd like to seriously work on. So I'm sorry in advance for that. :C But um... thank you~_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Title: **__Just Breathe (13/?)_  
_**Rating: **__T_  
_**Pairings: **__Eventual Aokise, Imayoshi/Sakurai_  
_**Warnings: **__Unbeta'd, OOCness_  
_**Word Count:**__ 7500 approx._  
_**Summary: **__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time._  
_**A/N: **__Oh goodness; thank you so much for all of the support guys! ;A; I'm so sorry that I couldn't respond individually to reviews. I used all of my free time writing this chapter (and a drabble that's still in progress), but I am so very thankful. Everyone was so kind and helpful with their comments; I'm really a lucky author to have such thoughtful and nice readers. ;u; And favoriters/alerters too! Just thank you so much! You're all wonderful and flawless beings of perfection!_

_Anyways, this chapter… has a lot of Aokise in it. Like, tons. Hopefully it's enjoyable and will overshadow any awfulness present. OTL Thank you guys again for everything! I hope you enjoy this chapter. C:_

* * *

When he arrives at Aomine's house, no one answers the door regardless of how many times he rings the bell or knocks on the door. To ease some of his frustration, he paces, swinging back and forth on his crutches up and down the hallway. When thirty minutes pass with no sign of his friend, he leans against the wall beside the door, fingers tapping rhythmically against the handles in his grip. Even without a mirror, he knows he's making an ugly face—he's too upset to fix it though, and it's not like his mom is around to snap at him about it. Instead of trying to calm himself down and prevent causing future wrinkles, he continues seething. Why would Aomine lie to him about something so serious? He doubts the other is embarrassed about the matter; if anything, Aomine would be pissed. If Aomine was angry, why not share the frustration with him? Is he unreliable? Are they not actually friends? Kise ends up spilling the most ridiculous things to Aomine though, so why wouldn't that idiot do the same?

'I shouldn't bring him lunch tomorrow,' Kise pouts, but sighs and shakes his head because that's a stupid thought that he would never go through with. Maybe he can leave an angry message in it or something? If Aomine thinks that he's going to get off with a simple rant, then he's mistaken—Kise's definitely going to hold a grudge.

"What's with the face?"

The voice causes him to jump and turn to look to his left. Aomine walks towards him in a pair of basketball shorts and a loose shirt—the bluenette is sweating; since there's no basketball accompanying the other, Kise figures Aomine went for a jog. The realization makes him a little sad, because he's reminded of how Aomine's been training especially hard for the season and _can't play_.

"Were you waiting out here long? You should have texted me." Aomine says, moving to walk past him and to the door. Before the power forward is able to, Kise sticks out one of his crutches, causing Aomine to bump his shin in to them and curse loudly. He turns to Kise, glaring as he raises his leg to rub at the abused bone. "The fuck, Kise?"

In return, Kise glares back; if he could cross his arms without dropping his crutches, he would in order to get his point across that he's not happy. Just his narrowed eyes seems to be enough though, because Aomine backs off, stepping back to put space between them while looking at him with one eye slightly squinted and with both brows furrowed—it's an expression that's uniquely Aomine and it makes Kise not want to be angry, but he remains so regardless.

"What's wrong?" Aomine asks, not liking the tense silence around them.

"You tell me." Kise says, voice low and snappy. At any other time he would feel bad addressing Aomine with such a tone, but for now he can't help himself.

"I made your model ass wait outside for me?" Aomine tries in a snarky tone, wiping a trail of sweat from his brow with the back of his wrist. The power forward shifts to lean against the railing parallel to where Kise stands, sighing when he sees Kise's glare develop in to a glower. "What?!"

"How's your hand?" Kise asks; the random question causes the power forward to frown.

Aomine looks down at his hands, brows furrowing more as he tries to think about what Kise is getting at. Both of his hands are fine, why would Kise ask about them? Is he missing something? He continues, somewhat cautiously, "They're fine."

"How was it during the Winter Cup last year?" Kise asks, and Aomine's blue eyes widen in realization. The tanned teen looks away awkwardly and rubs at the nape of his neck uncomfortably. The blonde frowns as he takes a small step forward and snaps, "Why would you do something so stupid?"

"It wasn't stupid." Aomine huffs, leaning back against the railing.

"It was too!" Kise protests while he grips more tightly on to his crutches. "You were suspended from this tournament because of it!"

"Is that all your mad about? There will be other tournaments." Aomine sighs, refusing to meet Kise's eye. At the offhanded comment, Kise finds himself fuming and taking another step forward until he's crowding in to Aomine's personal space.

"Don't say that to someone that can't play anymore!" He snaps, voice cracking. Blue eyes turn to look at him, but he looks away and grounds out, "Don't say that when _you_ really wanted to play—when you've been working so hard."

It's quiet for a moment; when Aomine continues, Kise's breath catches in his throat, "There will be other tournaments for you too."

"Don't," Kise starts, pausing to sigh. The blonde leans heavily in to his crutches and fumes quietly before glaring up at Aomine with cheeks slightly puffed out. "Don't make this about me; right now we're talking about Aominecchi, who I'm mad at."

"Why are you so mad? Sure, I punched someone, but it's not like the consequences affect you." Aomine grunts, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Maybe it wouldn't have, but it does because Aominecchi _lied_ to me about it!" Kise exclaims, taking a step back so that he can start pacing again. His heart beats harshly against his chest; he can hear each thud in his ears because while he's had to deal with things like this from others, it had never been with someone so close to him. Kise doesn't want to screw up one of the best friendships in his life, but he doesn't want Aomine to keep lying to him and leaving him out of such important things. With that thought, he steels himself and turns to face Aomine again, a look of unrestrained frustration and hurt on his face, "We're friends, aren't we? Shouldn't we share stuff like that? I know Aominecchi isn't the most open person, but I know being suspended must be really frustrating for you. You could have talked to me about it; it's not like I can make fun of you, or—or… am I just so trivial of a person that you don't want to tell me about the important things happening with you? It's not even that you have to tell me—you could have just said that you didn't want to talk about it; that would have been better than lying to me for so many weeks!" As he looks up at Aomine, he notices blue eyes aren't even focused on him. Cheeks flushing, he shifts in order to establish eye contact. Sure, he's rambling, but that doesn't mean he can be tuned out! "Are you even paying attention to me; I'm seriously _really _angry, Aominecchi."

"The tips of your ears turn pink when you're mad." The power forward notes offhandedly.

"Eh?" Kise asks, raising one of his arms awkwardly to cup his ear. Why would Aomine notice something like that whilst he's in the middle of spilling his heart out?

"It's cute."

Amber eyes widen in surprise, because _what_? Did he hear that right? More than his ears, he can feel a heat creep up his neck and across his face, and Aomine continues to stare at him aloofly as if he hadn't just said something so embarrassing. Kise stutters in an attempt to find words that don't want to be found and ends up with a stuttering complaint, "It's—it's—I—_Aominecchi_!"

"I was listening." The power forward huffs as he takes a step around Kise and towards the door. Aomine sighs exaggeratedly and says, "My neighbors were too, so shut up for a minute and get inside."

Once Aomine makes his comment, Kise glances anxiously in the direction of Aomine's neighbors. He really hopes no one was listening—that would be embarrassing. Awkwardly, he shuffles in to Aomine's apartment, leveling the bluenette with a glare that says, 'I'm not done yet,' before making his way further inward.

"Go ahead and sit in the living room." Aomine says idly, walking past him and in to the kitchen after toeing off his shoes. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"No." Kise huffs while toeing off his own shoes and making his way to Aomine's couch. Upon sitting, he realizes how tired he is of standing and how his arms ache from using the crutches. He leans heavily in to the couch, relaxing until something cold is placed on his head that makes him jump in surprise. There's a sound of a snicker that comes from Aomine, and _why_ is the other so calm about the matter? He waits until Aomine walks around the couch, water bottle in hand, and sits on the ground across from him.

"I don't think Aominecchi knows how mad I am." Kise says, crossing his arms.

"Maybe because you suck at looking it." Aomine shrugs, opening his water and taking a swig. When the power forward finishes, he rests the half-full bottle a top his thigh.

"That doesn't change the fact that I'm mad at you." Kise says crossly. "You lied to me."

"What do you want me to do about it now?" Aomine asks, placing his hand on the ground and leaning back in to his palm. With how cool the power forward acts, Kise feels as if he's exaggerating the matter—that it isn't serious even though to him it _is_.

"Tell me the truth." Kise grumbles.

"I already admitted to getting in to a fight and getting suspended. What more do you want?" Aomine grunts, shifting the water bottle this way and that. Blue eyes focus on the bottle more than on him; Kise isn't sure if he's thankful for the lack of attention or frustrated that Aomine isn't taking him seriously.

"You're acting like this is no big deal; if it doesn't matter, why didn't you tell me before? Why did you lie instead?" Kise asks, fingers fidgeting with the material of his pants more anxiously than what he prefers for the given situation. That idiot Aomine is the one that should feel anxious, damn it.

Surprisingly, his simple question seems to make Aomine pause. The teen's mouth opens and closes to say something snarky, but he seems unable to think of anything. Such a response causes Kise to perk up slightly and tilt his head to the side. "Aominecchi?" He calls, but the other doesn't look to him.

"I don't know." Aomine grunts, looking to his left and glaring at the empty space there.

"You're lying again." Kise huffs, falling back in to the seat. "I should start lying to Aominecchi too, if this is how this friendship is going to be."

"Hey—don't start with that." Aomine growls as he redirects his glare to Kise; when the small forward actually looks, Aomine appears to be a bit flustered.

"You've started it." Kise shrugs. He may suck at being mad and confrontational, but he can be stubborn—just as stubborn as Aomine.

"You're such a bastard." Aomine grumbles, a frown tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Since we lie to each other now, I'll assume that you think I'm a wonderful person." Kise says, tone sarcastic; it's a struggle to keep a straight face, but he's a model—he can manage easily. His friend across from him, on the other hand, looks thoroughly annoyed and ready to wring his neck.

"Kise, stop acting like a kid." Aomine demands.

"Aominecchi should lead by example." Kise says.

The groan that passes through Aomine's lips is comical even without how Aomine falls backwards on to his back. It takes all of Kise's willpower not to laugh, but it's worth it as he listens to Aomine grumble and curse under his breath as if Kise can't hear him. Words like, 'annoying,' and 'sly son of a bitch,' are mumbled, and as insulting as the words are, Kise can't help but to feel proud of himself. Wearing Aomine down can be pretty easy after all!

"I'm sorry, okay?" Aomine growls at the ceiling. The water bottle that had been resting a top the power forward's thigh slides off, hitting the ground with a 'thump'. "You're going through a lot and I didn't want to add to it."

The thoughtfulness behind Aomine's actions causes his bitter and somewhat sadistic mood to waver; he's known that Aomine cares about his wellbeing for a while, but to hear that the other would go to such an extent for him is touching. He sighs, no longer willing to be as angry as he was; although Kise is still annoyed that Aomine lied to him, the blonde figures it hadn't been with bad intentions. "I appreciate your concern, but helping Aominecchi with his problems wouldn't bother me; I may have problems of my own, but even before the accident I did. It's never stopped me from helping a friend before."

Realization passes across Aomine's face, although Kise can't see it from the angle he sits at; from how the bluenette's body shifts restlessly though, the model can imagine that Aomine is either pondering or embarrassed—which Aomine _is_ because he's been telling everyone to treat Kise normally, but at the same time he hasn't been. The power forward sighs, sitting up but not looking at him.

"Sorry." Aomine says, more sincerely this time.

"I forgive you." Kise says, smiling brightly at the other. The moment Aomine starts to look relieved, he adds, "Don't do it again though. I trust you enough not to, but if I find out you do—"

"Are you threatening me?" Aomine asks, raising one of his eyebrows as he fights back a smirk.

"Is it working?" Kise asks, his threat dying on his lips in favor of a chuckle.

"No." Aomine snickers, glad that the mess is taken care of; he's surprised that it hadn't been more violent and was actually a sensible conversation, for the most part.

"Well, I tried." Kise says, pausing before he adds, "But I'll be really mad if you do; I can handle other people lying to me, but not Aominecchi."

"I won't." Aomine says after a brief pause, holding his hands out in front of him in a show that he has nothing to hide. Kise smiles at the response and shifts so that he can pull his left leg on to the couch. "Do you mind if I ask you something about the fight?"

"It wasn't much of a fight, but sure." Aomine says.

"Was it my fault?" Kise asks; when Aomine doesn't respond, he looks up and sees the other looking at him with furrowed brows and a deep frown.

"Who the Hell fed you that bullshit?" The power forward asks.

"Just—some Kaijō guy." Kise says, and Aomine mutters under his breath. Kise frowns, shifting uncomfortably, because it must be true if Aomine isn't responding. The blonde doesn't know how he manages to hurt the teams or people close to him; is he that thoughtless of a person?

"Tch, of course." Aomine huffs, turning to look at him with a serious expression. "Don't listen to him; I punched Haizaki because I wanted to."

"It was Haizaki you punched?" Kise gasps, eyes widening in surprise and worry. "Aominecchi!"

"You didn't know that?" Aomine asks, looking the smallest bit flustered at the additional information he gave out. The power forward runs a hand through his hair and curses, "Whatever, yeah. He was threatening you though; it's not like I could walk away from that."

"So it _was_ my fault." Kise stresses, guilt taking over his features.

"It was _my_ fault." Aomine grunts, "I was the one that punched him."

"But it was because of me—"

"It was because _I_ was worried and didn't want him interrupting your game. So yeah, it was about you, but it wasn't because of you." Aomine sighs, watching Kise carefully as if to gauge the damage that was done by the information.

Across from the power forward, Kise sits quietly, staring down at his lap and fidgeting fingers. It's a relief that Aomine doesn't blame him, but he still can't help but to feel guilty, even more than that though— he feels happy. Aomine is positively _spoiling_ him. Defending him, comforting him, making sure he's okay; all these things make him feel giddy, and those feelings show through on his features in the form of a warm smile that he can't seem to contain. "I'm really happy now." Kise says, laughter blurring the end of his statement. It's warm suddenly, but not in an overbearing sense—it's a comforting warmth that he's felt a number of times in his life: in the hospital when Aomine held him, in the infirmary when Aomine expressed concern, and now. Kise can't imagine a more perfect feeling.

"Aominecchi is going to make a great boyfriend one day, huh?" Kise laughs jokingly, not noticing the slight widening of his friend's eyes or how the other looks away embarrassedly.

"That's some assumption to make, idiot." Aomine grunts. He looks to Kise, quelling the blush he feels rising across his cheeks.

"Really? But Aominecchi makes me happy and I'm just a friend!" Kise grins. "If you were to be as nice to a girl, I'm sure she would adore you."

The power forward doesn't look too amused by what Kise says and huffs, "I'd rather have someone that challenges me."

"Romance isn't basketball, Aominecchi." Kise chuckles.

Aomine rolls his eyes, pushing himself to stand from the ground. Even if Kise can be cunning, he's an idiot. What Aomine wants isn't some loose girl or some chick that adores him and would do anything for him—he's learning that he wants someone that makes him question himself, that makes him want to try harder to improve himself, that makes him _care_ about more than what he limits his world too. He wants Kise. As he stretches his arms above his head and walks towards his front door, knowing that Kise will follow suite, he says, "Whatever. Hurry and get your ass off my couch; I need to walk you home."

"I'll become spoiled if you keep up this special treatment, Aominecchi!" Kise teases, but complies without argument, hobbling his way over to the entryway and awkwardly slipping on his shoes. In front of him, Aomine grabs a light jacket from the rack by the door and shrugs it on.

"Shut up," Is the bluenette's reply; he lets Kise pass first before following after and locking the door, slipping his keys in to the pockets of his shorts. Their walk is filled with idle chatter and comfortable silences. A part of Kise is glad that everything turned out as it did, because he's once again been able to see a side of Aomine that seems to be reserved for him; the thought that one day Aomine's gruff kindness and thoughtfulness won't be only for him, or for him at all, makes his stomach turn and his heart ache with a feeling he's grown familiar with—jealousy.

* * *

"Hey, your gloominess is starting to get to me—cut it out. It's creepy." Kagami says as he goes to fetch the ball Aomine had knocked out of his hands. They had agreed to play earlier in the week; just because Aomine is suspended from the tournament doesn't mean he can't still play, after all. The prospect of being able to play a one-on-one had been exciting at the time, but now that Aomine stands on the court, he finds that he can't even focus. With a heavy sigh, he lifts up the neckline of his shirt to wipe away the sweat that runs down the side of his neck. When Kagami picks up the ball and turns to face him, he's asked, "Did something happen?"

"Nothing that I want to share with you." He grunts.

"You talked to me about being gay—"

"That was all hypothetical. You can't prove anything." Aomine says in a defensive and accusing tone.

"Well, if you can talk about stuff like that, you can talk about anything." Kagami grumbles, bouncing the ball in his hand idly before shooting it in to the basket. "It's not like I'll judge."

Aomine catches the ball upon its going through the hoop and bouncing loudly against the blacktop. As he holds it between his hands, he ponders. Kagami is right. Even when they had their homo talk, the other had been serious and understanding; even though there had been plenty of moments to jeer at him, Kagami hadn't taken the opportunity. "I cheated. Or I have been."

"With basketball?" Kagami asks, eyes widening.

"No, jackass!" Aomine growls, throwing the ball forcefully at Kagami's face. The other power forward catches the ball easily, staring at him with drawn brows. He continues, "Ah, it's not even cheating! It just feels like it."

"I'm not following." Kagami says, expression blank.

"I—"Aomine starts, then sighs and pushes back his sweat matted hair. "I like someone, but I've been fucking around with other people. Not as much as before, but still."

"Oh." Kagami says, looking away awkwardly. The moron looks embarrassed about the subject, but Aomine isn't going to let the matter drop. He waits silently, watching the other expectantly until Kagami suggests, "If you feel guilty, then stop sleeping around."

"I'm seventeen. I have needs." Aomine deadpans.

"Control them then." Kagami grunts.

"Is that even possible?" Aomine asks, brows furrowing. There's no way.

"You have a hand." Kagami quips, and damn—that's right, but blowjobs and actual fucking is so much more satisfying. With his head slightly lowered, he contemplates what even led up to this massive guilt that rests upon his shoulders. Everything had been fine for a few months, but then everything with Kise's depression and his own suspension from the Inter High happened. To deal with all the stress and frustration he picked the most pleasurable outlet and now—a few days after Kise and his conversation about honesty, he feels as if he's been unfaithful even though he technically has no one to be faithful to. It's all screwed up and annoying and confusing as Hell.

As if sensing his inner turmoil, Kagami sighs and adds, "If you plan on getting together with the person you like, don't you think waiting will be worth it?"

"What if I never get together with them?" He asks, because the person he likes is _Kise_. For someone like that to like someone like him—it's a laughable thought. Aomine will never date Kise, or sleep around with him; the power forward will simply stay at a distance, making sure everything is fine. It's depressing. How can he wait for something that will never happen?

"Why wouldn't you?" Kagami asks, looking at him with a confused expression.

"Because—"He starts, but pauses because now he's the one feeling embarrassed. Talking about sex is fine, but talking about homo things? No. He's fine with liking Kise, but not with openly talking about it. He lets out a long suffering sigh and says, "It just wouldn't work."

"Because?" Kagami prompts, and _fuck_ why does this idiot have to be a good friend under these circumstances? As much as he wants to talk everything out, he doesn't want to _talk_. A part of him wishes Kagami would just understand, but he knows only Satsuki has a chance at doing something like that.

"Because it would ruin everything." Aomine growls despondently, scuffing his shoe in to the asphalt. The ensuing silence seems to last forever, but before he knows it, Kagami says,

"I can understand that. I still think it's worth waiting though." It's obvious Kagami isn't focused on him; red eyes have a far-off look to them as if they're seeing someone else. Before he can question his friend, the red head looks at him with an embarrassed frown, "I can't tell you to keep it in your pants, but if you're regretting being with other people, then I think you should consider."

He contemplates Kagami's words while watching the other carefully; it pisses him off, but Kagami is right. "This talk didn't happen," He says, straight faced and entirely too serious. Across from him Kagami nods and rubs at his neck awkwardly, tossing the ball he holds at Aomine so that they can start their one on one again. If he's going to stop fucking around, he's going to need another outlet.

* * *

It isn't the first time Kise has been confessed to, but it's the first time he's been confessed to with two of his friends peering around the corner. It's distracting and comical, especially since said friends appear to be trying to be sneaky about it. Amber eyes glance back down to the small girl that pulled him to a deserted hallway to talk; she's cute, but the last thing on his mind for the past while has been girls. Distractedly, his eyes trail back to where Aomine and Momoi hide before snapping at himself to be courteous. This girl is obviously scared; he shouldn't be rude and not pay attention to her stuttered confession.

"I-I really like… Kise-kun." She says, head bowed and face flushed a bright pink.

Regardless of his earlier thoughts on focusing, he finds his thoughts straying. It's been a couple of weeks since the honesty debacle. Since then, Inter High had ended, but his relationship with Aomine had somehow gotten better. Or at least, he thinks it's gotten better—Aomine and he speak more openly. Kise doubts he hears as much as Momoi, but the fact he's starting to hear things makes him incredibly pleased. Since Sakurai taught him how to use the stove to cook a few things, he's started making bentos that Aomine and he share too; for a few days Aomine would tell him how horrible it tasted, but now he receives pleased grunts. On occasion, they'll even leave Sakurai and Momoi to sit somewhere quieter so that Aomine can take a nap after eating. It makes him really happy, because _he's _the one Aomine wants these things from or to do these things with and—

"Would Kise-kun go out with me?" The girl asks.

He _really_ wants to hurry and finish with this. He wants to go eat with Aomine.

"Kise-kun?" The girl asks again, and he snaps himself from his thoughts and smiles.

"Thank you," Kise says, smile slowly turning in to something apologetic. He tilts his head downwards and says, "I'm flattered, but I can't right now. I'm not ready for something like that, after everything that has been going on lately. I hope you'll understand."

He's said these words plenty of times; he feels bad using his injury as an excuse when he's already grown used to what it entails. Such an excuse is the most convenient and gets girls off his back quickly though. It's wrong of him to give them a false sense of hope that he'll be ready to accept their offer in the future, but he doesn't have the heart to refuse them completely. Like every other time, this girl gasps and apologizes before leaving with her pride still intact. As soon as she rounds the corner, Kise turns from where he had watched her with a sigh, raising his head to stare at the corner his friends hide behind.

"You guys are so rude." He says, but with a wide smile on his face. Before he's even done speaking, he hears Momoi giggle and Aomine telling her to shut up. Upon hobbling over to them, he pokes his head around the corner and sees them standing suspiciously against the wall.

"It's not like we were able to hear anything." Aomine says, pushing himself away from the wall and crossing his arms over his chest.

"It seems to have worked out though, don't you think?" Momoi asks, smiling brightly up at Aomine before turning to him. "Dai-chan was getting really jealous!"

Kise turns to Aomine and laughs at the power forward's embarrassed and enraged expression. "Satsuki!" The bluenette hisses; Momoi holds up her hands and continues giggling as Aomine spits empty threats at her.

"That girl was Aominecchi's type?" Kise asks, eyes wide, "If you like her, I'm sure I could convince her to date you!"

"Ki-chan can't sway a girl's heart like that," Momoi challenges.

"Give me three minutes." Kise says, tone confident and playful.

"How about not? I don't want to date her." Aomine says gruffly. "She's not my type at all."

"What? Was her chest not big enough?" Kise asks, looking at Aomine in surprise. He hadn't really looked, but he's sure the girl was at least a C-cup; she seemed sweet enough to deal with Aomine's tough exterior, although maybe not confident enough to be around someone so cross.

"That—her boobs were fine." Aomine says, turning to glare daggers at Satsuki who stands quietly with a wide smile on her face. There seems to be something Kise is missing out on, but when he asks, both of his friends seal their lips and refuse to say anything about the matter. It makes him increasingly more curious, because all Aomine has ever cared about was big breasts and a pretty face.

"Aominecchi! You can't just say something like that to me and not expect me to be curious." Kise complains. "Tell me what your type is!"

"No fucking way." Aomine states, and Momoi continues to smile that shit-eating grin that hints at her knowledge of the matter.

"Momoicchi!" He drawls. "Why won't he tell me?"

"Because it's a secret!" She says before excusing herself with an excuse of promising to eat lunch with her girlfriends and Sakurai. Once she rounds a corner of the hall before them, she pokes her head back around and winks, which sends him in to a flurry of complaints again as Aomine and he ascend the stairs to the roof.

"Aominecchi, I really want to know!" Kise says, slowly making his way upward. The power forward walks patiently behind him and scoffs loudly at his childish whining. "What happened to honesty, Aominecchi?"

"I'm not lying by saying I don't want to tell you, moron." Aomine says.

"Can't you give me a hint?" Kise asks, glancing over his shoulder at the other with a pout. The look only earns him a bump to his rear from the bentos Kise had wrapped in a yellow furoshiki that Aomine picked up for them upon leaving class. The small forward sighs despondently and continues climbing stairs, pausing briefly in order to open the door and make his way to their usual spot perpendicular to the structure he exits. "Just a small one?" Kise tries again, looking up at Aomine hopefully once he seats himself on the ground. The power forward plops down beside him, placing their lunch between them with a huff.

After a moments pondering, while Kise begins the routine of unpacking the bentos, Aomine says, "Someone persistent."

"Eh?" Kise asks, handing the other one half of the lunch.

"You asked for a small hint; there you go." Aomine says, taking out the chopsticks before opening the bento. When blue eyes see the same thing he's seen for the past couple of weeks, Kise waits with bated breath for an insult that doesn't come—Aomine simply takes a large bite of food and leans back against the cement wall behind them.

With a relieved sigh, Kise smiles and asks, "How about a hint that's more specific?"

"How about not?" Aomine asks back.

"Please?" Kise drawls, batting his eyes and looking pleadingly at his friend. In response, Aomine looks away with a grimace. The blonde leans in closer until his head rests a top Aomine's shoulder; he sings, "Please~ Aominecchi?"

"Get off." Aomine grunts, shrugging his shoulder and forcing the model off of him. Regardless of his action, Kise puts his head back on to the power forward's shoulder. Even when Aomine shrugs again, Kise remains steadfast, refusing to move. With a groan, Aomine says, "Someone that challenges me; I already told you that."

"But I don't know what that means, Aominecchi." Kise huffs, taking a small bite of food.

"It means that I like a person optimistic enough to combat my shitty attitude; that I like someone determined enough to force me to be more honest." Aomine starts, stabbing at one of the neatly folded eggs in the bento. He sighs loudly and scratches the back of his head, "They don't have to be strong or confident all the time; I'm fine with taking care of that much until they can themselves, but I would like someone that wouldn't take advantage of that. Someone kind and resilient, light-hearted but hardworking." Aomine pauses, snapping out of a daze he hadn't realized he had fallen under; amber eyes refuse to look away as the power forward scowls and picks at his food. He continues, "A challenge. Someone that challenges me to be better than who I am; someone that makes me _want_ to be better, for their sake."

Such an answer is surprising. The thoughtful words cause Kise to hold his breath, because more than talking about a type, it sounds as if Aomine is talking about a crush. His heart thumps against his chest, swept away by Aomine's sweet words. If only the teen were so open around others—he would surely win over masses. Reluctantly, he turns away to looks down at his food, a small smile tugging at his lips and a pleased flush across his cheeks, "Aominecchi grew up since last year."

"That doesn't mean I still don't like big breasts." Aomine says, returning to his lunch. The bluenette pinches the egg he had preciously stabbed and eats it in one bite. Upon swallowing, Aomine asks, "What about you?"

"What about me?" Kise asks, looking to Aomine with wide, confused eyes.

"Your type. If you make me say mine, the least you could do is say yours." Aomine grunts.

"Can I say someone like Aominecchi?" Kise laughs, and Aomine chokes, hitting his chest because _fuck—what_!? At the reaction, Kise raises his hand and pats the power forward's back, exposed because the teen leans forward as he gags. "Ah, sorry, sorry! It's just that Aominecchi's answer was so sweet and sensitive!"

"You moron," Aomine says, because he honestly doesn't know what else to say. The hand on his back feels nice, but he leans back upon catching his breath, forcing Kise away.

With a chuckle, Kise continues, "Ah. Just someone that knows when to hold on and when to let go, maybe, because I hate feeling stifled. Someone that is okay with encouraging me when I feel down, and is honest and attentive and patient, because I'm a handful." When he pauses, Aomine looks to him curiously; Kise laughs and continues embarrassedly, "I don't know, really. Just someone that makes me happy, I guess? And that I can make happy too, of course."

Their conversation ends, taken over by a thoughtful and pleasant silence. Aomine finishes his lunch first and gives him a look that tells him that he had better finish at least half of his own meal. The caring gesture makes him chuckle, but even if Aomine can choke down the meal the blonde makes, Kise is getting really tired of eating eggs and rice. Regardless, he eats, and when he finishes and wraps the bentos back in the furoshiki, he feels a weight deposited on to his thigh that causes him to look downwards in surprise.

"I'm borrowing your lap." Aomine says afterwards, face turned away from him and body stretched out across the cement ground. The grin that spreads across Kise's lips is a lot of things, but mostly content. Something like this probably shouldn't make him so happy, but it does. It sends his heart racing with stuttering thumps and his stomach thrumming with butterflies. He almost feels lightheaded, so settles for closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the cement wall behind him. This is nice—if every moment of his life could stay like this, he would be the luckiest and most happy person alive.

* * *

It probably isn't okay that they're fooling around, but their therapy session ended nearly ten minutes ago, so it's fine, right? Kiyoshi can't bring himself to care, because rolling about the facility in his wheelchair, Kise strewn across his lap and laughing, is much more fun than sitting quietly while waiting for one of his parents to retrieve him. The laughter he hears now is a welcome change to the pensive kid he had met a number of weeks back; he always knew Kise would be fine, in the end—from what he hears about the blonde's daily life, it's obviously because of a certain star basketball player. Kiyoshi doubts that Kise realizes how fondly he speaks of the other, but it's incredibly cute. _Kise_ is incredibly cute.

"I'm going to surprise him with grilled weinipi in the next bento! I'm also going to try boiling some vegetables." Kise says with a bright, excited grin; when Kiyoshi makes a sudden turn around a corner, the model grips on to one of his arms briefly for purchase. "Hopefully he'll like it."

"He'll love it." Kiyoshi says, tone full of confidence. He pushes his wheelchair to go a bit faster, down a long, straight hallway, lifting his arms only when they gain enough momentum. Cheerily, he adds, "He ate rice and eggs for two or so weeks without complaining, right? I'm sure Aomine really appreciates what you do for him."

"Eh? He does a lot more for me; this is the least I could do." Kise chuckles, settling himself more comfortably on Kiyoshi's lap; the brunette places one hand on the small forward's waist to make sure he's steady while using his free hand to slow the chair before they crash in to a wall. The model continues, "I wish I could do more for him though, you know?"

"You do more than enough, Kise-chan." Kiyoshi drawls, removing his hand from Kise's waist to push them back towards the front of the facility. He adds teasingly, "If you do anymore he'll probably fall in love~"

"Pft." Kise snorts, clearly amused by the teasing comment. The blonde says, "Aominecchi could do _so_ much better."

"Impossible." Kiyoshi says, butting his head lightly against Kise's and offering the kid a smile. The action causes the small forward to beam and lean back comfortably against him, nuzzling in to the warmth he provides in the chilly air of the rehabilitation center.

"Kiyoshicchi is very good at flattering people." Kise snickers.

"I'm hoping to win you over." Kiyoshi laughs, rounding one last corner to enter the waiting room where Kise's crutches were left. He looks in to amber eyes and brightens at their mirth, "Your homemade bentos sound delicious; I would love to try them someday—oh! Someone's come to get you, Kise-chan!"

When the blonde looks out in to the waiting room, his eyes catch sight of the lone figure of Aomine, standing still and staring in shock at the sight before him. Kiyoshi almost wants to laugh, because when the surprised look fades, Aomine looks bitter and entirely jealous. He wonders if he should tease the ace or reassure him? Although Kiyoshi thinks that Kise is cute, his heart is already taken by someone else. It could be fun messing around with the power forward though, especially when Aomine glares at him so fiercely with possessiveness.

"Aominecchi!" Kise calls happily, but before the boy is able to push himself away from Kiyoshi's lap, the center wraps his arms around Kise's middle to keep him in place.

"Aominecchi!" He calls afterwards, and he's sure the bluenette's eye twitches in irritation.

"Don't call me that." Aomine snaps at him before turning his attention to Kise, eyes still narrowed. The poor kid doesn't say anything, but Kiyoshi can see in the other's blue eyes, '_What the __**fuck**_?' It makes him want to laugh, but he settles for wrapping his arms more tightly around his new friend. Aomine seems to notice the light squeeze and furrows his brows even more.

"I didn't know you were coming to pick me up today." Kise says, looking up at Aomine happily.

The power forward glares at him briefly before trailing his eyes over to Kise; Kiyoshi takes note on how the hardness of Aomine's features seems to soften slightly upon focusing on the blonde in his lap. "I wasn't doing anything else." Aomine grunts, pushing his hands in to the pockets of his pants before he adds, "Figured I would walk you home."

"Aomine-san is surprisingly sweet." Kiyoshi laughs, and the tanned kid's mood instantly dampens; he simply laughs louder at the response, dismissing the angry scowl that is directed at him.

"He'll get mad if you keep teasing him, Kiyoshicchi." Kise reprimands. The admonishment only seems to make Aomine more annoyed though. Figuring it's enough, Kiyoshi gives in and spares the other teen by releasing Kise from his one sided hug, but not without placing his hands over the model's hips as he crawls out of the wheelchair. He honestly can't help himself; Aomine is funny! Kiyoshi offers the kid a knowing smile, pulling his hands away from Kise once the other has himself balanced.

"Sorry, sorry." Kiyoshi says, waving goodbye to the pair as they exit the building. For a brief moment, Aomine glares at him from over a broad shoulder; Kiyoshi chuckles to himself and waves. It's amazing how Kise doesn't realize how frustratingly taken Aomine is with him. Maybe the blonde will notice soon though, with how obvious the power forward is.

"Ah~ they're really cute." He sighs, a warm smile spreading across his face.

* * *

"You've been cooking an awful lot lately." His mother says upon walking in to the kitchen. She's still dressed in her business attire, and looks as exhausted as she does irritable. After taking a sniff of the air, she wrinkles her nose and asks, "You're not eating all of that yourself, are you? I understand you've been able to exercise, but you don't do that much."

"It's mostly for friends." Kise laughs, offering his mother a reassuring smile.

"The one whose house you're always at?" The woman asks, and Kise has to pause, because—no. Although he tells his mother that he's always at Sakurai's house, it's usually Aomine's place that he goes to whenever he's free. Not knowing what to do, he feigns not hearing her from over the sizzle of the weinipi he fries over the stove.

"Sorry, it's a little loud." He says apologetically, turning the subject to her instead. "How was work?"

"Tiring. People are becoming increasingly incompetent these days." She scoffs, leaning against the counter and watching as he turns off the stove and turns to put the cooled rice from the maker in to two open bentos. It's a lot of rice—she can't help but to remind Kise that he shouldn't be eating so many carbs. To appease her, he scoops half of what he had back in to the maker, filling it with vegetables instead. "That's better," she smiles, "Now. How was your day? I've booked you some more shoots and another possible commercial in these coming days."

"That's great." Kise says, "What for?"

"Commercial clothing. They actually called for you this time." The woman says, and when he looks at her in surprise he smiles happily. "You're finally getting noticed! All your hard work is paying off."

To some extent, it is. Because he can't do much of anything else, throwing himself in to work has been one of his only options. With his face being everywhere and his popularity increasing, it's obvious agencies would want to get a hold of him; he's happy, but the feeling is bittersweet. He wishes hard work would pay off in other areas of his life as well.

"My Ryouta is becoming so successful." His mother sighs, looking decidedly less aggravated than she had upon walking through the door. "I'm very proud of you."

"It's thanks to you I've gotten so far in the industry, mom." Kise chuckles as he picks up one weinipi at a time to deposit them in to Aomine's bento.

"Don't give me all the credit; you've been good about not letting any distractions bring you down." She says, "I know your injury was hard on you—your career as well—but it's offered you so much opportunity as well, don't you think?"

"Yeah, definitely." He says halfheartedly, because while being crippled has given him time to focus on his career, it's more importantly given him a chance to become closer with Aomine, somehow. Thinking about the other causes his face to flush; Aomine had definitely molded the nightmare he had been living in to a dream. A warm and pleasant dream he's not sure he wants to awaken from. Once his mom leaves, he tries moving the toes of his left foot. Of course, nothing happens, but as he looks down at the bento he prepares, he's not as angry as he feels he should be.

'It would be nice though,' He thinks, tying the furoshiki around the two bentos he finishes preparing. A sigh passes through his lips as he stares at the neatly tied knot. It really would be nice.

* * *

_**A/N: **__Did you guys see all of that Aokise? Can you guess what's going to happen in the next few chapters? ;D Hint. Hint. Anyways, I'm so sorry for the wait! And the… not so great quality/flow of this chapter. I've been so busy, but I wanted to get a chapter done for you wonderful people. :C Hopefully it's not too disappointing! But um… yes. Thank you for reading, and if you have time, please leave me a review with your thoughts! I love hearing from each and every one of you; all of your opinions mean so much to me. Cx_

_Burachanka, I'm totally calling you out down here, because I know your review had questions. Aomine does live alone, yes! And the AU!Drabble I'm working on is the pet shop one mentioned in my profile. Currently I have finished about 10k words. C: And um… thank you for such a long and thoughtful review; I appreciate it! ((As well as everyone else; I love all of you so much!))_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Title: **__Just Breathe (14/?)_  
_**Rating: **__T_  
_**Pairings: **__ Aokise, Imayoshi/Sakurai_  
_**Warnings: **__Unbeta'd, OOCness_  
_**Word Count:**__ 11500 approx._  
_**Summary: **__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time._  
_**A/N: **__Can I just point this out to you guys: _Reviews: 276 - Favs: 209 - Follows: 271_. The support you guys give me is so crazy, just thank you so much for your encouragement and sweetness and for even wanting to read this mess. Every one of you just seriously makes my day just a bit better. If I could individually thank you all, I totally would—but I probably wouldn't even be able to find words so thank you so much for everything, and I'm very happy to be writing something that is enjoyed, and I hope I continue to please you guys. Because you're amazing and deserve only the best of fics. ;u; So yes, onwards to Chapter14!_

_Just a word of advice on what's to come… everything is flirting. Every. Thing. And yes. Please enjoy. C:_

* * *

When he randomly shows up to one of Aomine's practices, the power forward stares at him with a dumbstruck expression for a few moments—long enough to bump in to Sakurai who falls in to Wakamatsu. The accident pulls Aomine's attention away from him, but it's probably a good thing the other doesn't see him laughing. It's strange to watch instead of play; while he's sad, the distraction Aomine's movements provide make it bearable. The power forward moves as strongly and gracefully as he always has. If Kise isn't mistaken, Aomine's movements appear even more effortless than before, a feat Kise hadn't known was possible. Smiles rarely grace Aomine's face when he plays, but occasionally, after an amazing shot his lips will turn upwards and Kise will see a flash of blue eyes looking in his direction. Kise will grin at the concealed excitement in Aomine's eyes, because how can he not be happy when Aomine looks so pleased?

Whenever the starters take a break, the other will look towards him. Kise will wave and beam at the attention, but Aomine will only scoff and turn away; the model knows that Aomine isn't annoyed though, because Sakurai will send him a friendly, embarrassed smile that clues him in on Aomine's hidden expression before being whisked away by someone asking for help. This routine continues whenever Kise doesn't have work or physical therapy. All of his free time goes towards watching Aomine, who he soon discovers stays late and even practices on days off. It's amazing and inspiring and something he hadn't expected to happen even after the other's loss to Seirin the previous year.

He's glad though, because Aomine loves basketball again to want to do something so diligent and even asks him to come along one day when the bluenette and Momoi head over to a nearby park. At first he's confused, but then he sees Momoi coaching Aomine and all he can think is, 'He's so cool,' just like he had thought back in middle school.

"I want to train too," He says one day, and Aomine laughs.

"Keep up if you can." Aomine responds, and his words aren't discouraging, they're a _challenge_ and it's the first that's been actively thrown in Kise's face since the accident. A wide smile spreads across his face, because of course he's going to accept, and of course he's going to surprise Aomine when he does just as much as the other.

Only he doesn't, because regardless of if he does exercises to keep himself in appropriate shape for being a model, Aomine is an athlete who is _trying_—at this point in time, there's just no way he can compete. So as Kise pushes himself up with trembling arms from the push up he just went in to, he complains loudly as Aomine continues with ease beside him. Their legs are propped up on a bench, keeping them at an angle, and if Kise could move his leg he'd kick Aomine for being so ridiculously in shape.

"You. Are. Crazy." Kise groans, gasping for breath between each word. When he tries to push himself back up, his arms give out and he collapses downward. In a show of defeat, he drags himself forward until his legs slip off the bench and he can lay on the dirty ground. Right now, he doesn't even care—it's not like he can feel his arms enough to get up anyways.

"What happened to keeping up?" Aomine says, tone light, teasing, and _crap_ how many more can Aomine do?

"'m out of shape." Kise pants, mentally visualizing trying to push Aomine's arm aside, thus causing the other to lose balance. When he tries to move his arm, it's like swinging a dead fish and Aomine pauses to laugh at the betrayed look that takes over Kise's features. Kise laughs too and complains, "Don't make fun of me, Aominecchi!"

"Hey, stop slacking." Momoi scolds, but only because Aomine told her to make sure he stays industrious. Even though it had been his idea, Aomine makes a face at her before returning to the regime the pink haired girl constructed. Kise can hear muffled grumbles from beside him, but they soon stop when Momoi takes it upon herself to sit on the small of Aomine's back. The complaints are then replaced by a loud grunt and slower, much more pain staking looking pushups. This time, it's Kise's turn to laugh, but Momoi shoots him a look that has him rearranging himself on the bench and continuing the exercises he had wanted to take part in.

While Momoi texts someone on her phone, he glances towards Aomine; when he sees the other looking at him too, he smiles and looks away.

This is how his days begin to pass—with secret smiles and fleeting looks. In addition to talking often and sharing their lunches, Kise isn't sure he needs anything else in his life to feel content. His leg is still burdensome, but with Aomine by his side, his injury doesn't feel nearly as crippling.

"Oof," Kise grunts when the basketball Aomine shoots goes through the basket and lands directly on his stomach. Today they're in the gymnasium after hours, and laying beneath the hoop probably isn't the best idea, but when he's not spacing out he can help by catching the ball and rolling it back towards Aomine. With a groan, Kise rolls on to his side, arms wrapped around his stomach; the contraction of his abdominal causes him to whine and he pouts when he hears Aomine scoff from a few feet away.

"One of these times your model face may end up being hit; I'd watch it." Aomine says, walking towards where the ball rolls and scooping it up easily.

"What would Aominecchi do if he hit my face?" Kise asks, pushing himself up and in to a seated position to better see his friend. He smiles widely at the power forward, waiting expectantly for an answer. "It's my livelihood!"

"I'd laugh." Aomine states bluntly, dribbling the ball idly as a smirk tugs at the corner of his lips.

"Liar." Kise laughs.

The power forward shrugs his shoulders before casually holding the basketball between his hip and arm. Blue eyes gleam roguishly at him before Aomine says, "It depends on the damage; if it were to be permanent and make you ugly, I may stop talking to you."

"Aominecchi! That's so mean!" Kise complains, pulling his legs towards his chest and keeping his arms wrapped around them for the sake of not letting his left leg slide back down awkwardly. The model purses his lips and drawls, "So shallow~!"

"Shut up. We'd be friends even if you wore a paper sack over your head every day." Aomine starts, and Kise perks up at the kindness behind the words, but then Aomine continues, "Your lunches are too good to walk away from."

"Stop talking." Kise chuckles, "You're giving me mixed feelings with your mean teasing."

"Who said I was teasing?" Aomine deadpans.

"Keep it up and I won't make you lunch tomorrow." Kise says, sticking his tongue out childishly at Aomine.

"Fine, fine. Sorry." Aomine says, returning to deftly dribbling the ball. While the other does that, Kise focuses on standing, pushing himself up slowly so that he doesn't lose his balance. While he focuses on steadying himself, he hears Aomine mumbling about a 'low blow' and snickers softly to himself. His moment of victory is ruined though, when out of nowhere a ball hits the back of his head. Instinctively his hands reach backwards to grab the abused area as he yelps.

"_Aominecchi_!" Kise cries, hopping around to face the power forward who watches him with a wide grin.

"My bad. Hand it over here." Aomine says, holding up one of his hands.

The ball lies a few feet away from him; he begrudgingly hops over to it on one foot, picking it up after almost tripping before turning back to Aomine with a glare. Aomine waits patiently, smirking lightly as if he knows something Kise doesn't. It makes the blonde wary, but he throws the ball back to Aomine anyways.

"Thanks," Aomine says, and the exchange clicks somewhere in the back of his mind and he remembers that this has happened before, albeit a bit differently—and _Aomine_ had remembered and seriously? What kind of person would remember something so miniscule as a first meeting? It shouldn't be someone like Aomine, but the fact that it is causes a smile to bloom across his face and laughter to bubble up from his chest.

"Did you do that on purpose, back then?" Kise asks. He had always wondered, but even without an answer he's always been terribly thankful.

"Don't know what you're talking about," Aomine says, dribbling the ball briefly before dashing forward and in to a lay-up. The ball swooshes almost soundlessly through the net, and Aomine glances back at him, a light in his eyes that Kise remembers seeing so many years ago. It leaves Kise feeling breathless and giddy and hopeful. The last emotion confuses him, but he brushes it off as he has been in favor of enjoying the simplicity of the moment.

"Aominecchi, I want to know." Kise says, hopping towards where the other stands. When Aomine takes a step back, Kise pauses, looking at the other with a suspicious expression before hopping another step forward. Aomine takes another step back and Kise gawks, "Aominecchi, tell me!"

"Make me." The power forward taunts as he keeps a continuous three foot distance between them. It's as annoying as it is funny, chasing Aomine around the gym while on one foot, but he doesn't mind. This is just another memory that he'll always have to cherish, after all. With that thought, he stops, thus causing Aomine to pause and look back at him. Taking advantage of the moment, Kise leaps forward with a larger jump than before, arms outstretched to latch on to Aomine and finally get his answer—but Aomine is faster and backs up easily, a smirk plastered on his features. The smirk vanishes though, when Kise teeters for balance upon landing. It's an act, but Aomine need not know that. Inwardly grinning, Kise lets his left leg drop in a show of him trying to put weight on it to catch himself; before his act can continue, Aomine seems to lunge forward. The sudden movement causes him to start and actually lean on to his left side and then—

"Shit." Aomine groans, rolling from the side he landed on to his back. Kise's head rests on the other's arm, and it's entirely too comfortable for having been practically tackled to the ground.

"Aominecchi panicked~!" Kise teases, forcing himself to roll over and look down at Aomine. "You didn't think that actually made me lose my balance, did you?"

Instead of answering, Aomine shoves him from embarrassment. The model does little more than teeter back before he throws himself forward to lay his head a top Aomine's chest. He can hear how quickly Aomine's heart beats and wonders if perhaps his act had scared the other. It probably isn't good for a cripple to freak out someone who has so much concern for him. He sighs and smiles sheepishly up at Aomine who awkwardly looks down at him; the bluenette seems to understand his unspoken apology and huffs.

"Hitting you in the head so many times must have made you stupid." The power forward grunts, breathing calming considerably as they continue laying there.

"So you _did_ do it on purpose?" Kise asks, grinning brightly. Even when Aomine scoffs and pretends he didn't, Kise knows that's not the case—he can hear how Aomine's heart beats a little more strongly, and how Aomine's breath catches just slightly before he denies any accusation. The hopeful feeling he tries to ignore comes back; he still doesn't understand, but maybe he's just wishing that moments like this will last forever, will continue happening, and will always make him happy. He breathes deeply, in and out, matching his breaths to the rise and fall of Aomine's chest.

Kise remembers when breathing was suffocating, when it was a chore—he can't recall when it started becoming a gift.

* * *

Open the door.

Open the door.

Open the—no.

No, close the door. Close it, close it, close it!

"Hey." The man on the other side of the door says, glancing down at him casually while leaning against the doorframe. The greeting is followed by a silence in which Sakurai simply stares in panicked horror, because he doesn't know this person. Is he at the right room? Jerkily, he turns his head to glance at the room number located next to the door, and sure enough he's at his boyfriend's apartment. The man continues watching him, brows slowly furrowing in confusion before he tries, "Can I help you with something?"

"I-I'm so sorry." Sakurai says, lowering his head and fidgeting anxiously with the furoshiki that holds the lunches he made for Imayoshi and himself. "Is… Imayoshi-san in?"

"Yeah, but he's in the shower now." The man says; Sakurai doesn't even know what the other looks like since he can't manage to raise his head and make eye contact. There's a sound of shuffling as whoever is in front of him moves out of the way, "You can wait for him though. He shouldn't be long."

"Oh. Thank you." Sakurai mumbles, shuffling past the other and sliding off his shoes before walking further inward. With someone else in the apartment, he doesn't know what to do with himself. Is it still okay to sit on the couch? Should he wait in Imayoshi's room, or would that be too forward? As he contemplates, the stranger shuts the door and moves past him to sit on the couch where a discarded laptop lay. Brown eyes trail over to the other before flashing back down to the floor.

So awkward; this new guy is really handsome though. It's childish of him, but he wants to demand who this person lounging around his boyfriend's apartment is. He doesn't think Imayoshi would cheat on him, but Sakurai realizes he's not the most fun boyfriend to have.

"You can sit down, you know?" The other says, voice sounding a bit confused.

"Um. Thank you." Sakurai says, moving over hesitantly in case the stranger changes his mind. When he doesn't, Sakurai lowers himself on to the opposite end of the couch, placing his schoolbag beside his feet and the bentos he prepared on his lap. Even though the couch is spacious, he tries taking up as little space as possible. Hopefully Imayoshi will be out soon.

"Sakurai-san, right?" The person asks.

"I'm sorry," He says reflexively, not even stopping to think. When he looks at the other with wide brown eyes, he's being stared at as if he's crazy. The man shuffles awkwardly before closing his laptop and standing. Sakurai considers apologizing again, but pauses when the man starts moving towards the door.

"I'm going to go out for coffee. And… yeah. See you."

Before Sakurai can say anything more, the door shuts and he's left feeling too warm from embarrassment. He groans and slumps forward over the food he made; behind him, he hears muffled laughter that causes him to quickly sit up and look over his shoulder. Around the corner his boyfriend snickers before completely revealing himself and walking in to the living area. Sakurai flushes even more although he tries not to.

"That was painfully awkward," Imayoshi says, placing his hands on the back of the couch and peering down at Sakurai. An amused smirk plays at the corners of the dark haired boy's lips that causes Sakurai to turn his head away. He curls inwards on the bentos he prepared again and sighs quietly. Behind him, Imayoshi frowns and furrows his brows, making his way around the couch, pausing to briefly place a soft peck on his boyfriend's cheek before continuing to sit beside the other. He adds, "Awkward, but cute. So is your jealousy, by the way. I could feel it the moment the door was opened."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Sakurai mutters, feet shuffling a top one another; unconsciously, his toes curl around one another. There's no way he'll admit to it, but he had felt insecure upon seeing someone different in the apartment.

"He's my new roommate. The last one left a week ago." Imayoshi says conversationally, but Sakurai is thinking of too much to be preoccupied with any insecurity he may feel at the moment.

"Mn." Sakurai hums, fingers anxiously picking at the threads of the furoshiki in his lap. He doesn't make eye contact with Imayoshi—something not new, but still not welcome or appreciated.

"So you needed help with homework, yeah?" Imayoshi asks, changing the subject as he leans back in to the couch.

"I lied." Sakurai blurts, raising a hand to cover his mouth as soon as the words slip past his lips. He wasn't supposed to say that! Imayoshi is looking at him with surprise though that quickly morphs in to something more mischievous and suggestive and no—this isn't want Sakurai had in mind either. "I'm really sorry."

"If you wanted to spend time together, you could have asked." Imayoshi teases lightly, leaning forward with a hand casually placing itself a top his knee.

"N-No! I'm not here for that!" Sakurai says frantically, causing Imayoshi to pause.

"That's mean." The older boy pouts, looking far from amused at the implication of Sakurai's words.

"W-wait, no. I mean yes, I wanted to see you, but—but not for… that." Sakurai says, mumbling the last bit embarrassedly. For a few moments, Imayoshi watches him before sighing loudly and falling back in to the couch. Sakurai sighs with relief, offering his boyfriend a nervous smile that has Imayoshi smiling lightly at him in return.

"Since I can't have Sakurai, I want my lunch." Imayoshi says, reaching for the bentos on Sakurai's lap. The brunette shifts away though, which leaves Imayoshi at a standstill. He frowns and shifts his head slightly, because this has never happened before. "You're not playing hard to get with me, are you? I like when you're apologetic and give in to me more."

"No." Sakurai mumbles, shifting anxiously this way and that. "It's just… I need to talk to you. I'm sorry."

"We can talk while we eat." Imayoshi says, making another swipe at the food, only to have it moved away from him even more. The ex-captain looks at Sakurai, who conveniently looks away, and says, "It's fine if _you_ hold out on me, but the food too? If you're still worried, that guy is _only_ a roommate; I'm giving him two more weeks before he leaves."

"That's not it," Sakurai says, although the reassurance is nice. He should figure by now without being told that any foreign person he sees in Imayoshi's apartment is a new roommate. His boyfriend can't seem to keep anyone around for longer than a month—Sakurai can understand why, but in other ways he doesn't. To him, Imayoshi is a very good person. With that thought in mind, he breathes and stutteringly says, "It's about… uhm… these people."

"Mhm." Imayoshi says patiently, shifting in his seat so that he can properly face Sakurai. As he lounges, he takes note that the brunette's face turns steadily pinker. The expressions being shown to him makes Imayoshi curious and pay more attention to what Sakurai tries to say. When the other doesn't seem to get anywhere, Imayoshi prompts, "Can you tell me who?"

"It's—It's… I feel bad saying," Sakurai says, clearly flustered as he looks to Imayoshi pleadingly. "But they're taking over my life, Imayoshi-san!"

Because he's so flustered, Sakurai misses the entertained face Imayoshi makes and how the other tries not to laugh at him. Regardless of the effort, Imayoshi coughs to conceal a chuckle and smiles amusedly at him. "Taking over your life, huh? I'm not sure I like that."

"I've started drawing them on my notes, and my _bentos_—"Sakurai stops, glancing at his boyfriend anxiously before continuing. "They're really cute, Imayoshi-san."

"You never draw us." Imayoshi comments offhandedly, clearly teasing the smaller of the two.

"Imayoshi-san…" Sakurai drawls, flustered and uncomfortable.

"It can't be that bad." Imayoshi says, manhandling the bentos away from Sakurai who protests and apologizes at the same time. Before the brunette can snag the boxes away, Imayoshi pops one open and stares. Simply. Stares. In the meantime, Sakurai groans and hangs off the arm of the couch in an attempt to hide his shame. Imayoshi grunts, "I'm a little jealous."

"Imayoshi-san, please be serious." Sakurai says, voice muffled from the couch.

"I'm being _incredibly_ serious." Imayoshi says lightly, head cocking to the side as he looks at the cute bento before him. He looks to Sakurai with a curious expression, "Is this—"

All Sakurai can do is hide himself in his hands and slouch forward in defeat. "I'm telling you that they are _really_ cute, Imayoshi-san."

"Well, one half of the pair is. I'm not so sure about Aomine-kun though." Imayoshi notes, poking idly at his lunch; he has mixed feelings on actually eating it, seeing as how food versions of Aomine and Kise stare up at him innocently.

"That's because you don't see him—them. They're always with each other, sneaking off to these unknown places to have lunch together and then they flirt all the time and Kise-kun never stops talking about Aomine-kun and neither of them realizes what's going on and it's just really frustrating for me." Sakurai says, taking a deep breath after his seemingly never ending sentence. When he looks to his boyfriend for answers, Imayoshi only watches him with raised brows. Sakurai shuffles awkwardly, turning his gaze away from the dark haired boy beside him. "S-sorry. I've had no one to talk to about it."

"I want to tease Aomine-kun now." Imayoshi says with a smirk; in response, Sakurai shakes his head frantically. Moving his arm so it no longer props his head up, he reaches across the couch until he can caress his fingers over the exposed skin of Sakurai's neck. "Not more than I want to tease you though."

"What should I do, Imayoshi-san?" Sakurai asks, watching the other with wide eyes.

"I'm not sure I understand the problem. They like each other, so what?" Imayoshi says, reaching for a pair of chopsticks that Sakurai had packed. Once he has them in hand and poised over his lunch though, he pauses. Who should he eat first? Aomine or Kise?

"The problem is that they're making me crazy, Imayoshi-san." Sakurai groans, pulling out various notes from his bag with doodles in the margins and other open spaces. Imayoshi sifts through them idly, taking note of the extreme cuteness and wonders if Aomine is even capable of acting in such a way. "I feel so guilty. And it's like I'm peeping on them whenever I see them do something cute and draw it out."

"Wait. So this—" Imayoshi starts, lifting a paper that has a rough sketch of Aomine hooking his chin on Kise's shoulder and being fed something or another by a too content looking model. "Actually happened?"

"It did." Sakurai says, clearly flustered. "And I'm really happy that Aomine-kun makes Kise-kun so happy, but they're just too cute a lot of the time. Like, they'll always smile and look at each other when they think no one will notice."

"You're not jealous, are you?" Imayoshi asks, returning to his food and taking a bite out of the egg Kise's hair is made of.

"Of course not." Sakurai says. "Kise-kun is still my friend. I guess sometimes, maybe, because when Aomine isn't around, Kise-kun becomes sort of listless? Unless we start talking about Aomine-kun or unless I'm teaching him how to make food… which is for Aomine-kun. I don't know. We still have a lot of fun together, but…"

He trails off, not knowing what to say. Sakurai hadn't even realized he was jealous of the attention Aomine was receiving! Of course he still thinks Aomine and Kise are cute and fit well together, but he misses when he and Kise would have idle conversations about nothing in particular, about _no one_ in particular. With a heavy sigh, he slouches a bit.

"Mn. Don't you think Kise sounds dependent?" Imayoshi comments after swallowing a bite of food. The bespectacled boy turns to look at Sakurai, and upon seeing a confused face asks, "No?"

"I'm… not sure." Sakurai says, looking down at his hands that are placed a top his legs. "Don't they just make one another really happy?"

Imayoshi doesn't look too convinced, but refrains from saying anything more about the matter. Sakurai considers asking what the other meant, but figures that it's not too big of a deal. Now that he's talked about his growing obsession, he feels a bit better, although equally worse because he realizes he's jealous for someone's attention.

"Well, perhaps it's a good thing." Imayoshi adds, "If Kise is so special to Aomine-kun, then Aomine-kun will try harder during Winter Cup until he slaughters Kaijō, yes?"

Sakurai wants to protest to such strong imagery, but pauses, because it's probably not too far off of an assumption.

* * *

This doesn't make sense; it's been nearly a year and yet it's as if nothing has changed. He had left Tōō's match a bit early to avoid having to leave with a crowd pushing and shoving, but now he wishes that he had chosen to wait. Across from him stands a few members of Kaijō's basketball team. They had come up out of nowhere, greeting him with an insult before going off on him for something that shouldn't be so important. Kise just doesn't understand how people can be so bitter after so long over something that didn't directly affect them—these boys weren't a part of the first string, so why do they hate him so much?

"Kaijō's playing well, don't you think?" One boy, the one that has always given him a hard time over the matter, asks with a sneer. "No thanks to you."

"What's your problem?" Kise asks, finally snapping because he's _not_ going to feel guilty over this matter anymore. He's been forgiven by the people who matter, and he's moved on—Kise refuses to be drawn back in to the depression failing Kaijō brought him. It wasn't only his fault!

"_You_ are my problem, obviously." The other growls; those behind him try to glare at him intimidatingly, but Kise can see their uncertainty. "You fucked us over!"

"I made mistakes, but one player doesn't make a team." Kise says, narrowing his eyes.

"It only takes one player to drag an entire team down." The boy spits, and for a brief moment Kise falters. All of Kasamatsu's reassurances seem to leave his head and he's left scrambling for thoughts to keep himself secure. Seeing this, the shorter boy continues with a broad smirk, "That was you."

When he stays silent, the third year continues tauntingly, "I wonder how you'll manage to hold Tōō back in this tournament. Even if you're not a part of their team, you seem to get in the way. Especially with their ace, yeah? You gonna sabotage him like you did us, huh?"

"That's enough." Someone says, and when they look towards the source of the voice they see Nakamura standing with the rest of Kaijō's team behind him. The shooting guard's brows furrow and he frowns deeply from both anger and disapproval; there's a difference in the air about the new captain compared to Kasamatsu, but the authoritativeness is still present. Nakamura continues in a gravely tone, "What's going on here?"

"A-ah. Nakamura-san! Nothing was happening; we were just saying hi to Kise, since it's been so long." The leader of the troupe that cornered him says, smiling insincerely in an attempt to prove that they were having a friendly conversation. The lie doesn't go overlooked by Nakamura though, who clicks his tongue in annoyance. The team behind him is a mixture of emotions, but no one speaks up but Hayakawa who complains loudly that everyone better leave Kise alone. Briefly, Nakamura turns back to calm the other; Hayakawa relents, but remains bouncing anxiously and glaring.

"Because you're a senior this year, I've put up with your cockiness and impertinence, but if you're going to harass anyone, especially someone that led us to so many victories in games we couldn't have won otherwise, and tarnish Kaijo's name—then I'll ask you to give me your jersey now." Nakamura says, voice cool and sharp all at once. Kise can feel himself shudder at the blonde's words; Kasamatsu left Kaijō in good hands, obviously. The senior before him seems to withdraw, and lowers his head when Nakamura continues, "We don't need people like that on this team. 'It takes one player to drag an entire team down,' after all."

The words are harsh and cause the boy in front of Kise to coil up with anger before lashing out with a loud curse before walking off angrily. Nakamura doesn't seem concerned, instead choosing to focus on him while the rest of the team disperses awkwardly. Only when it's them and Hayakawa does Nakamura sigh loudly and push up his glasses to rub at the bridge of his nose, all signs of his dominating presence gone and replaced by the kind, yet diligent senpai Kise remembers fondly.

"Nakamura-san was really cool, just now." Kise laughs, but stops when he realizes how shaky it sounds.

"I'm not." Nakamura protests before fixing him with a small smile. "I'm sorry for his actions."

"They aren't your fault. No need to apologize." Kise says, returning the smile.

"When Kasamatsu-san told me that something similar happened before, I should have taken more measures to ensure it wouldn't happen again." Nakamura says, lowering his head slightly. "So I have reason to be sorry. I hope he did nothing to hurt you though, Kise-kun."

"I'm okay." Kise laughs, but again it isn't as smooth as it should be. Hayakawa and Nakamura recognize this and frown, looking at each other awkwardly. Kise waves his hand dismissively and says, "Really! I'm alright. I just wish I understood what I did to deserve the personal vendetta."

"Ah. You beat that guy out of the last starting spot last year! Since he's older, he probably feels he deserved it more." Hayakawa says, but then pauses to yell, "But Kise deserved it! Definitely!"

"It was a shame having to replace you with him this year." Nakamura admits, a regretful look on his face as he looks at Kise. The captain offers Kise a small smile and adds, "It may be pointless, especially after you've been bothered and let down by our team so much, but if you get better and want to play—"

"It'll be for Tōō when that happens."

"Aominecchi?" Kise asks in surprise, turning around to see the power forward stalking over towards them angrily. Upon reaching his side, Aomine seems to stand taller and narrows his eyes dangerously at Kise's two friends. It's a look Kise had almost forgotten, because the Aomine he's usually with is always content and placated. The change makes him smile though, because Aomine is being protective over him, even when it's not necessary. Turning to his old friends, he smiles and says, "I appreciate the offer, but I would want to play at Tōō."

"We understand." Nakamura says, smiling fondly at Kise before turning to Aomine. "Thank you for taking care of Kise-kun. We'll see you in the quarter-finals."

As they walk away, Aomine still glowers at them. It makes Kise laugh and reach up to pat the other's cheek. "Aominecchi is making a scary face." He says, and Aomine scoffs in return, face returning to how it normally is.

"You played really well today!" Kise says excitedly, turning slightly and spotting Momoi and Sakurai from the corner of his eye. He waves to them happily and calls, "Sakurai-kun was amazing too!" The brunette stumbles from embarrassment, and although he's too far away to hear, Kise can imagine the protests and denials his friend would be mumbling.

"Thanks—"Aomine starts, briefly interrupted when Momoi calls out to them to come over so that they can go to dinner with the rest of the team to celebrate. The power forward seems to scowl at her a bit, to which she giggles and turns away, heading towards the team she had been speaking of. Blue eyes turn to look down at him, and Kise smiles. "You going?" Aomine asks, and as much as Kise wants to say yes, he shakes his head no.

"I have to get to a shoot." Kise says apologetically.

"I'll walk you." Aomine says, but Kise laughs and shakes his head.

"Aominecchi should celebrate with his team." He starts; Aomine looks a bit irritated at the refusal, but before the other teen can protest, Kise nudges him. "It won't be that bad, come on!"

"I'd rather not." Aomine grunts.

"You guys are a team; you shouldn't be so distant with them." Kise says, fixing Aomine with a serious look the bluenette can't help but to turn away from with a huff. "Go on."

"Fine." Aomine huffs as he scratches the back of his head. When he turns to leave, he pauses as if to make sure Kise is serious, to which Kise laughs and tells the other that he'll text him as soon as his work is finished. Aomine sighs loudly, but consents and walks off to where his team waits. Kise watches until the other gathers with the rest of Tōō's team before sighing himself and making his way to the main road to hail a cab. He's super late—his mom isn't going to be happy.

She makes it known just how unhappy she is when he finally makes it to the arranged meeting place as well. Everything is set up, for the most part. The lighting fixtures are still being rearranged, but by the time he finishes with hair, makeup, and wardrobe, it should be done. This shoot should be interesting—it's on the darker side, which he secretly likes because it's different and gives him an excuse to practice different expressions from the usual smile. As he goes to greet the photographer, he hears a harsh bark of his name telling him to 'get over here, _now_.'

"Hey, mom!" Kise says as he walks over towards where she stands in a quiet corner. She's angry, if not pissed. With how her arms are crossed and her brows furrow, Kise knows he's about to get in to trouble. Awkwardly, he laughs and tries, "I'm really sorry I'm late! I was—"

"Don't even start, Ryouta." His mother snaps, and Kise immediately stops talking and glances about anxiously because his mom isn't trying to be quiet and save him from embarrassment. She goes on to complain about how he was late, about how he's losing focus and how he doesn't even seem to care anymore. It's not fair for her to make assumptions like that—just because he hasn't made modeling his life doesn't mean she can degrade him like she does; modeling is important to him and he cares about it, but he cares about other things in his life as well. At some point, he begins to bite his lower lip and narrow his eyes to prevent from snapping; he hates it here. Kise hates being in situations like this with his mom. Although he knows she's looking out for him and wants him to be successful, he wishes she would encourage him from the sidelines. More than that, he wishes he had let Aomine walk him here, so that he could leave and the other wouldn't be too far away to come back and take him somewhere else where the world doesn't seem to suck.

"Well _sorry_ for screwing up, mom!" Kise seethes, speaking over her tirade against him while desperately trying to bay tears. The attitude will definitely earn him some punishment later, but for now he brushes past the woman in front of him and towards where he needs to prepare for his shoot. There's an angry slam that resonates through the room when his mother makes her exit that causes Kise to remember how the boy from earlier stormed off. It makes him feel bad. Even if not everything is his fault, he still feels lousy and insecure with everything now. Kise wouldn't mind talking to his mother about it—but he doesn't know if she would care. After the evening's events, probably not. He sighs quietly as his hair is pulled this way and that and makeup is applied to his face. Maybe if he does a good job in the shoot, his mother won't be as angry later. To calm himself down, he pulls out his phone, and with shaky fingers types out a quick text.

_(8:17pm) Aominecchi! _

_(8:17pm) How's dinner?_

**(8:17pm) Never listening to you again. This is stupid.**

Kise chuckles quietly. Before he can respond, his phone buzzes again.

**(8:18pm) What's wrong?**

A frown begins to pull at his face, but he minds the makeup and refrains from allowing his face muscles to move.

_(8:19pm) What do you mean?_

**(8:19pm) Your stupid emojis are missing.**

His fingers remained poised over the screen of his phone. What is he supposed to say to that? Why would Aomine even notice something like that? How is it that Aomine understands him without being present while his mother only pays attention to what's related to his future? Isn't his wellbeing a part of that as well?

_(8:22pm) So observant, Aominecchi! __（__*´__*__）__I'm okay though!_

Even if he's not, that's okay. Kise knows he will be in a little while; emotions are simply high from his confrontation with that Kaijō guy and his own mother. So he breathes, puts on a professional act and manipulates his pessimistic feelings until he stuns the room to silence. When he's done, he converses politely with the photographer and staff, thanking each of them for their hard work. As soon as he changes out of the clothes that were provided for him, he snatches up his phone and bag before hobbling out of the building. Because he's not ready to talk with his mom yet, he takes a cab to a park located nearby his house and sits on a bench. When he wipes at his eye, he grimaces at the feel of makeup that he had forgotten to take off and sighs while pulling out his phone. Upon seeing the message waiting for him, he feels his mood lift and a smile pull at his lips.

**(8:27pm) Call me when you're done.**

As per Aomine's request, he hits his second speed dial before placing his phone to his ear. It's been more than an hour since that text, but it should be fine.

"Hello?" Aomine answers and Kise grins because just the sound of Aomine's voice makes everything feel perfect again.

* * *

It's sweet to see Aomine help Kise up the stairs leading to the seating area of the gymnasium. The pair seems to banter lightly and Kise glows when he laughs. The moment, innocent and amicable, is sadly ruined by one Imayoshi Shoichi who sits at his right. How the dark haired boy ended up seated beside him, Kasamatsu doesn't know. All he does know is that he wants to shove the other away because he's annoying as Hell and keeps trying to start up conversations with him which Kasamatsu _knows_ will lead in to arguments over their respective teams. It's in Imayoshi's character to poke, _jab_ at weaknesses another person may have—and for Kasamatsu that weakness is Kaijō and Kise.

"Oh? Is Kasamatsu-san here to cheer for Kaijō? Too bad Kise-kun isn't playing there, huh?"

"Who do you think Kise will cheer for? Probably not the team that kicked him out when he lost his worth, hm?"

Before the dark haired boy can even drop an unwelcome comment to the two approaching them, Kasamatsu extends his legs and kicks the other hard. Imayoshi whines in complaint, temporarily distracted as Aomine and Kise reach them. The power forward offers him a nod as greeting before seeming to realize that he isn't alone. Brows furrow upon noticing Imayoshi and Aomine grunts and turns his head away.

"Ah! Aomine-kun is still as pleasant as always. Kise-kun is so lucky!" Imayoshi drawls, smirking at Aomine whose eyes widen before they narrow dangerously. The bespectacled boy chuckles and scoots over, patting the open seat in a motion for Kise to sit.

"Eh? Why am I lucky?" Kise asks, sitting down in the newly opened space.

"I'll meet you outside by the stairs once the match is over." Aomine says, speaking over whatever it was Imayoshi had been readying himself to say. As if sensing the dangerous aura around the bluenette, Tōō's past captain pulls back with an amused smirk.

"Right. Thanks for walking me, Aominecchi." Kise says, offering the other a broad smile. "Good luck out there!"

The power forward starts to smile, but pauses when he realizes that both Imayoshi and Kasamatsu are present and watching. Instead, Aomine huffs and shoves his hands in to his pockets before walking off while saying something about not needing luck for a match like this. Kasamatsu frowns to himself as he watches the other's retreating back, because it could just be the lighting, but Aomine's shoulders look incredibly tensed.

"He's all riled up." Imayoshi chuckles.

"Seems more tense than anything." Kasamatsu says, somewhat concerned because over the past year Aomine has grown on him, mainly because of what the other has done for Kise, but regardless. He sighs and mentally hopes that the power forward will calm down before the match; playing while so wound up wouldn't be good for Aomine's body. Turning to Kise, he asks, "Is everything okay?"

"Hm? Aominecchi wouldn't tell me otherwise." Kise laughs sheepishly, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Don't you think it's because he's playing Kaijō?" Imayoshi questions as he leans forward to look at both Kise and he. Grey and amber eyes watch Imayoshi curiously before two heads tilt in a show of confusion. The dark haired teen chortles and adds, "Couldn't it be because he's angry of how Kise-kun was treated?"

"But everyone apologized." Kise says, even if it's not completely true. While the important people apologized, there still seems to be a few, one in particular, which is still angry with him.

"Maybe he sees differently, hm?" Imayoshi offers with a knowing smile that causes Kasamatsu to frown. Did Aomine see something that Kise hadn't told him about? After he had spoken with Nakamura about the matter, he was sure that everything would be fine. Kise has a look on his face as if something happened that could be cause for concern though. When he presses the matter, Kise simply laughs and brushes him off.

Two conversations start around him then, one between Imayoshi and Kise and then another at his other side that seems to be in a foreign language. Out of curiosity, he glances to his left and sees an American man conversing with who appears to be a translator. He can't understand English well, but he gathers that the man doesn't think he'll find anything amazing in Japan. It makes him inwardly scoff because it's the exact opposite—this man is going to see _Aomine_. The despondent and hopeless tone is cut short when the whistle is blown, and right off the bat, three points are scored. Because he was so focused on trying to translate, he misses what happened; when he looks on to the court, he sees Aomine coming back from a motion as if he threw the ball from half court and in to the basket.

"What?" He asks, turning to Kise who stares in shock. Even Imayoshi looks surprised, and when Kasamatsu turns to look back at the court, Aomine is glaring at the Kaijō boys with unrepressed anger and detest. A shudder runs up his spine at the intensity of Aomine's feelings and he vaguely overhears the American a seat over from him making a pleased and excited sound.

The match continues with a mostly silent audience, save for the foreigner nearby that speaks in an excited blur of sentences. Seeing Aomine do so much on the court, running from one side to the other, stealing everything and violently forcing shots—it's terrifying. The air seems to become thick with the carnal rage Aomine seems to exude and on more than one occasion Kasamatsu forgets to breathe. Beside him, it looks as if Kise doesn't remember either, because the model stares with a mixed expression of awe and concern and disbelief. Whenever the ball hits the backboard, the echoes reverberate hauntingly. Swallowing thickly, Kasamatsu tries to watch more closely—he notes that Aomine is still tense and breathes heavily, but not out of exhaustion like one would expect. It seems more like Aomine is trying to repress yelling and cursing out of frustration.

Although the power forward appears to go all out from the start, he shows no sign of letting up come the second quarter and end of the first half. If anything, Aomine seems to become faster, stronger, more angry and passionate. Single handedly, the bluenette demolishes Kaijō and seems just as prepared to continue doing that the second half as well.

On the bench, Aomine pants heavily in to a towel, calming his breathing only enough to rehydrate. It makes Kasamatsu's heart swell, because he's realizing this is because of Kise—_for_ Kise. Aomine is angry for Kise and what has happened and is taking out all that anger here and now.

"Excuse me." The translator beside him says, at the start of the third quarter. Kasamatsu turns away from the sight of Aomine reluctantly to look at the man. Politely, the translator offers him a smile before motioning to the court, "Who is that #5?"

"Ah. That's Aomine Daiki." Kasamatsu says. "He's a second year that plays for Tōō Academy."

"Only a second year?" The man says in surprise, but turns to the American to report his findings. Not thinking much of the matter, Kasamatsu returns to watching the one-sided game.

"He's pushing too hard." He hears Imayoshi say, and it's true. The rest of Tōō's team seems to understand as well, but continue passing to the ace. On the bench, the manager and coach look equally ill at ease, but make no move to make a call for substitution.

"Why aren't they calling him back?" Kasamatsu asks.

"Because when Aomine orders something, you don't tell him no." Imayoshi says simply. "He's pushing too hard, but he can do it."

Whether Aomine can do this or not isn't the concern—it's if he's going to hurt himself that is. Sometimes he feels people forget that these kids are just that—_kids._

The longer the match goes on, the more quiet the crowd seems to become, enraptured by play far too powerful and emotional to be a mere match between high schools. Taking a moment, Kasamatsu glances at Kise, because what's going on now is truly about him. The blonde looks sick with nerves and his amber eyes watch the court frantically, flicking this way and that to capture all of Aomine's movements. He notices the boy bites his lower lip and drops his gaze guiltily; he doesn't know what to say to ease the other's concern, but Imayoshi seems to notice and says calmly, "That's a devastating point difference, for being in the third quarter. They must feel pretty hopeless and useless out there, don't you think?"

It's not the best comment that could be made; it makes Kise curl in on himself even more, but Kasamatsu understands. He turns his gaze back to Aomine, who makes his way past three blockers in order to make yet another basket. Aomine is making Kaijō's team feel like they made Kise feel in the only way he can—by making them feel worthless.

* * *

It takes watching the first basket Aomine makes to know that the other has been hiding something from him all along. From half court, Aomine has the ball thrown to him and then he's tossing it with so much power that it's a surprise that it makes it in to the hoop. That first score though, seems to be a declaration of war. Kise feels his hands tremble slightly from adrenaline; regardless of if he's in the match or not, he's not stupid enough to know that this is because of him. He's not stupid enough to understand that Aomine is getting revenge for everything that Kise had gone through over the year. A large part of him desperately wants to yell at Aomine to stop, because the bluenette is being stupid by doing so much over the course of an entire match, but something keeps him from doing so. This is Aomine spoiling him, _again_. This is Aomine telling him to shut up and be angry and not just roll over and be okay with the situation. This is Aomine taking Kise's hurt and making it in to something feral. Kise thinks that maybe Aomine was hurt through this somehow as well, because there's no way Aomine can be so passionate simply because of what happened to Kise, right?

But the match continues, and the first quarter melds in to the third, and Aomine is still going, still fighting through slowly quickening breaths. Kise's heart continues pounding in his chest, simultaneously cheering for Aomine and begging for the other to stop—that the difference in score is enough. Watching Aomine gives him too many feelings, but the one that stands out most seems to scream, 'Do you see this? _This_ is how important you are.' It makes him feel guilty and giddy and _loved_. If he had insecurities about anything, they don't seem to exist in this moment—all that exists is Aomine before him, who breaks apart the people that had kicked Kise while he was already down. He had stopped being angry with Kaijō a long time ago, but—but—

Imayoshi's words ring through his head, 'Kise-kun is so lucky!' And he realizes, yes. He is. Because he has someone in his life that cares so much about him that an entire gymnasium can feel it. The silence around him amplifies the sounds from the court. Each bounce of the ball, each swoosh of the net, each breath that Aomine takes.

All Kise can do is stare. No smile, no words—simply a plethora of emotions he never knew could be felt at one time.

The buzzer sounds and Kise looks up.

More than a ninety point difference.

Around him he hears whispers of, 'monster,' 'animal,' 'beast.' If that's what you call someone too kind, too caring, too compassionate, then yes. Without a doubt. None of these people understand though—they probably never will. As he glances around the court, he notices Aomine speak briefly with Tōō's coach, waving Momoi off before he stumbles in the direction of the locker rooms. His heart still beats too quickly, too loudly. When he stands, he accidently bumps in to a tall American that apologizes to him in a heavy accent before making his way on to the court, once each team lines up across from one another.

It's not his concern though; his only concern is finding Aomine. Without so much as a goodbye, he hurries past Kasamatsu and Imayoshi, hurrying to the lower level where Aomine will be. It takes a while, because Aomine isn't in the locker room, but as he begins to leave to walk towards where Aomine told him to go after the match, he hears the painful sound of retching.

"Aominecchi?" Kise calls cautiously, making his way through the door of the attached restroom. When only deep, hoarse wheezing returns his call, Kise lets the door close behind him. With how the stall doors stretch to the ground, it's impossible to tell if Aomine is in one of them or not, so he goes to each door, pulling them until he spots a blur of dark skin and a black uniform sitting uncaringly on the floor. Kise panics and rushes over, pulling the stall door open quickly. What he sees makes him want to apologize before anything, but he keeps it together in favor of leaning his crutches outside the door and hopping a bit closer to where Aomine sits.

The power forward looks miserable, despite his efforts to look fine. It's hard to look okay when your arm is strewn across a toilet seat, supporting the head you're too tired to lift though. Kise breathes deeply and kneels somewhat behind the other, cautiously placing his still shaking hand on the other's back as Aomine turns to continue vomiting in to the toilet. Not knowing what to do, Kise rubs the power forward's back in slow circles through a sweat drenched jersey; even if Aomine had looked fine on the court, it's obvious that he had overworked himself. Clenching his eyes shut, Kise listens as Aomine goes from throwing up to dry heaving. He wishes he were better at this and could comfort the other, especially after everything that Aomine has done for him. Although Aomine probably doesn't need the assistance, he mutters the mantra he's told himself repeatedly over the course of the year, 'Breathe, just breathe… in, out… in, out… in—'

"Ugh." Aomine groans upon calming his breathing and spinning vision. He pulls away from the toilet to lean against the stall in exhaustion. Reaching over the power forward, Kise flushes the toilet and sits beside his friend, watching the other anxiously as Aomine lifts his jersey to wipe at his mouth.

"Do you… want me to get you some water?" Kise asks worriedly. The nearest place to possibly get it is at least five minutes away, for him. Maybe if he can find Momoi, the girl will have something though.

"No. Just—sit." Aomine says, and Kise lowers himself from where he had tried to stand. Together they sit on a dirty bathroom floor, and it should be disgusting, but then Aomine rests his head against Kise's shoulder and it's anything but.

"You pushed yourself too hard, you know." Kise says for the sake of baying the silence.

"—know." Aomine mutters through a daze. "It was worth it though."

It was worth it because _Kise_ is worth it.

Deep breath. In, out.

'Thank you,' He wants to say, but when he opens his mouth to speak, he can't seem to find his voice. So he sits quietly, allowing Aomine to use him as support. When they manage to get up, Kise watches the other worriedly, but the power forward scoffs and says that he's fine now and to stop looking at him with that face like he's about to cry. Kise tries to smile, and Aomine rolls his eyes at the failed effort before holding the door open and demanding they leave to find water. As soon as they exit though, two men await them. They seem to be all business; their words blur together and all Kise seems to hear is 'university,' 'full ride scholarship,' 'basketball,' and '_America_.'

* * *

The walk back to Aomine's house is shrouded with a tense and heavy silence that neither of them dares to break. Even when they're in his apartment, they refrain from speaking. It's only when his phone starts vibrating in his bag and he forces Kise to wash first that he's able to breathe. He doesn't even know why it suddenly feels so awkward, because he knows he hasn't done something wrong. Kise hadn't seemed as shy when Aomine had been puking his guts out. It was only after—

Aomine places the card the American had given him on to his desk, along with his phone. He feels bad for ending the call with his parents early, but he's more tired than he had originally thought. Grabbing some clothes, he makes his way in to the hall, walking past Kise as the other hops aside. The blonde offers him a tight smile and Aomine sighs, telling the idiot to make himself at home and that he'll be out after a while.

After rinsing himself off, he steps in to the bath, sliding in lazily and submerging himself completely until his lungs burn for oxygen. Upon lifting his head from the water, he runs his hands over his face and through his hair, pushing back excess water from stinging his eyes.

The night had been a blur. All he can remember is being _angry_. Kise doesn't know, but he had seen what had happened after Tōō's first match of the Winter Cup. That, coupled with the other tidbits he had been told and how he had seen Kise suffer in turmoil, seemed to push him over the edge. Aomine had wanted to get back at them—maybe not as extremely as he did in actuality, but it's fine. The crushed looks on those faces were only a fraction as miserable as what he has seen on Kise, but this is all he can do and he supposes that he'll have to be content with that.

Even with that thought, all Aomine can feel is exhaustion. Bone deep and painful.

"Damn," He mutters, forcing himself out of the tub after a number of minutes. When he finishes drying off and pulling on some sweats, he finds himself pausing as he goes through the motion of putting on his shirt—because _son of a __**bitch**_ that hurts. With a groan, he temporarily gives up and walks in to his room. The first thing he notices is that Kise is by his desk, looking at that stupid card Aomine had been given earlier. He wants to tell Kise that he's not even considering it, that the thought is too outlandish, but all Aomine can manage is to stumble face down in to his bed with a grunt.

"Aominecchi?" Kise asks, turning away from the card to look at him before frowning and continuing in a more normal tone that allows Aomine to relax just the smallest amount, "Where's your shirt? You're going to catch a cold!"

"Don't want to move." Aomine says in to his comforter.

"Did you injure yourself?" Kise continues worriedly, hopping over to where Aomine lay.

"No, just sore. Shoulders hurt." Aomine sighs, turning his head so that he can see the blonde that stands at his bedside. The model's brows furrow, and Aomine growls, "Don't look at me like that."

His snapping earns him a loud sigh before the bed dips beneath Kise's weight. Aomine closes his eyes and huffs, waiting to be reprimanded for his earlier actions; sure he had been stupid, but it worked out alright. Aomine doesn't regret it.

"I'll look at you however I want." Kise snaps back, and the sass in the other's tone makes Aomine want to snort. He turns his head so that it faces away from the blonde, trying his hardest to force his body to relax. It seems impossible to get rid of the tension though, which he knows is his biggest problem at the moment. Kise breathes, cold fingers hesitantly running across his exposed shoulder blade; it causes Aomine to shudder, but he doesn't tell the other to stop. The power forward instead closes his eyes and enjoys the tenderness of Kise's touch. He can feel the trembling of the model's fingers—can feel Kise's uncertainty and concern. Another hand is placed on his back, and together Kise's hands timidly rub out the knots in his shoulders.

"Ow." Aomine grunts, shifting slightly away from the pain.

"Sorry," Kise mumbles, thumb caressing over the spot lightly in apology.

That seems to be the extent of their communication with one another. Aomine knows that he should ask what's wrong, but he feels himself being lulled to sleep by Kise's touch. Minute by minute, he relaxes more and finds it easier to take deep breaths. 'It's enough,' He should say, because his back doesn't feel nearly as bad as it had, but he can't. Aomine doesn't want Kise to stop, so he remains quiet.

"Why—"Kise starts, pausing briefly when he finds the words he had been rehearsing in his head seems to vanish. The model breathes tremblingly and continues, "Why would you go so far?"

Aomine thinks that the answer is obvious. It's because it was for Kise. It's because he knows everything the other has been through, what the idiot is _still_ going through. It's because back then, no one stood up for Kise and every one took advantage of Kise's kindness, and Aomine wants to be different. It's because Kise deserves to be defended. It's because Kise is special to him, and seeing the idiot hurt is the most painful feeling Aomine has ever had to feel—it leaves him frustrated and helpless, upset and confused.

"It doesn't matter." He sighs as he lifts his arms so that he can bury his face in them.

"It matters to me." Kise responds, his voice little more than a mumble.

And because Kise matters to him, of course he's stuck responding. Aomine breathes deeply and sighs, "Because I was pissed off." The answer earns him a silence as if prompting him to continue, which he embarrassedly complies to. "Because for the past year, I've been angry, and I've had no one to take it out on. They—I know you've forgiven them, but I haven't. They didn't have to see you when you were a wreck; they didn't help you when you needed it, and it pisses me off that you were treated like you weren't important. Because you _are_ and—"

Aomine pauses, shuddering because something warm drips on to his back. Through his rant, he hadn't noticed, but Kise's hands aren't moving anymore. The blonde sniffles quietly and _shit_. "Why are you crying, idiot?" He huffs, refusing to look back.

"I don't know." Kise chokes, fingers curling and scratching lightly over his skin. "I've just never felt as important as Aominecchi sees me as, but then Aominecchi says and does these things that make me think differently. And it's just—so confusing. Aominecchi makes me feel confused, and so nervous and strange." There's a brief pause in which Kise lifts one of his hands to wipe away stubborn tears, born from too many emotions. "But I'm always so happy, because Aominecchi makes me happy." Another pause, and then, "_Thank you_."

Thank you for what you did.

Thank you for caring.

Thank you for thinking I'm worth something.

Thank you for loving me.

_Thank you_.

Kise's words echo in his ears. They cause his breath to catch in his chest and his face to flush with an unbearable heat. Swallowing thickly, he tries to think over the quick thuds of his heart. Another wave of adrenaline seems to overcome him, and while Kise cries behind him, Aomine reaches awkwardly over his shoulder, fingertips brushing against Kise's closed hand shyly. With a steadying inhale, he says, "Me too. Every day. All the time."

Instead of questioning him, Kise's fingers uncurl and hook around his for a form of purchase. With a shuddering sigh, Aomine closes his eyes, turning his head to hide. This feels so stupid, but Kise always gets him to act like an idiot now, so it really shouldn't matter. Although he had never planned on saying it, a confession rest at the tip of his tongue, waiting to be spoken, _wanting_ to be said. He's nervous as Hell though, thinking of what ifs. But it's not like him to overthink, it's not like him to be caught up in hypotheticals or to be cowardly. Aomine Daiki takes what he wants; he doesn't run from the things that are most important to him.

So he breathes. In, out, and says,

"I like you."

To stress the words, so Kise will be positive that this isn't some prank, he says again,

"I _like_ you."

And Kise understands, and clutches his hand desperately while trying to silence his tears. Aomine doesn't understand why the blonde cries, but he hopes it's because Kise realizes just how strongly Aomine has come to feel.

* * *

When he opens his eyes, he groans and clenches them back closed against the light filtering in through the open window. As if to defend himself against morning, he snuggles further in to the warmth of the bed, pausing only when he realizes that what he cuddles closer to isn't bedding or pillows. Frowning, he opens his eyes, blinking in sync with stormy blue. Before his eyes can adjust further, he hears a yell that causes him to scream in turn before—_thump!_

"A-Aominecchi! That hurt." Kise groans from where he had been shoved off the bed. His legs still awkwardly remain on the mattress, even though the upper half of his body is sprawled across hard wood. The model keeps his red face hidden behind his hands. This situation is surprisingly embarrassing; he isn't sure he can handle this.

Somehow or another, he had ended up falling asleep beside Aomine the night before after the other had—oh. _Oh_. The power forward cautiously peers over the side of the bed, blush showing even on his darker complexion. "_Nothing_ happened, I swear." Aomine says, as if Kise would even think the other would force him in to something that he wouldn't want. The insinuation makes Kise blush deeply and roll on to his stomach to hide himself more.

"I am _so_ sorry!" Kise stresses, slowly forcing himself to sit up and look at Aomine properly. The other sits similarly from a top the bed and scratches embarrassedly at short blue hair. "After Aominecchi confessed too; I'm the worst."

"Ah, I can't say I minded," Aomine starts offhandedly, temporarily spacing out at the memory of just how warm Kise had been beside him. At the scandalized expression on Kise's face, he pauses and looks away with a cough to hide his sheepishness.

"I—I didn't… mind either, but…" Kise starts, but can't continue because he doesn't know how. He should give Aomine a proper response, but he's unsure of what to say. The blonde can admit he's thought about what kind of boyfriend Aomine would be, but not of Aomine being _his_ boyfriend. Shit, he needs someone to talk to—Sakurai or Momoi or even Kiyoshi. His thoughts are a whirlwind, especially after yesterday and now this and it really hadn't been bad _at all_ waking up with Aomine, but—!

"You didn't?" Aomine asks, expression surprised and now that it doesn't feel as if Kise's heart is about to come out of his throat, the situation doesn't seem as serious as he had initially thought.

"No." Kise says, flushing slightly under the other's gaze. Being watched by Aomine always made him feel self-conscious before, but never like this. He takes a deep breath and looks up at the other through his long eyelashes. "It was nice. Aominecchi is really warm, and lately it seems I become cold easily, so…"

"Ah, I'm aware of that." Aomine says, offering Kise a light smirk. "You kept putting your feet on my legs throughout the night—they're fucking freezing."

"You were awake?" Kise asks, brown eyes widening. "Aominecchi should have woken me up! Uwah~ I was probably making really weird faces; I'm embarrassed."

"I wasn't—well, partially? I tried waking you once—hey, hey don't give me that look." Aomine says, stumbling throughout his sentence and glaring at Kise when the blonde pouts and draws his brows together.

"Didn't I tell Aominecchi that I would look at him however I want? Right now, I'm judging." Kise scoffs playfully, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Tch. Judge all you want; I was able to judge all your sleeping faces so we'll be even." Aomine bites back smugly.

It's funny how nothing feels different, even after Aomine's confession. The dynamic of their relationship should have changed by this point, but it feels the same as it had yesterday, and the day before, and even the week before. Kise still feels happy and just a bit nervous—there's still a hopeful feeling that swoops low in his chest that he can't fight back; the only difference is the level of his own affections. It's not because he knows Aomine likes him, but because of how much the other does, and because of the lengths Aomine will go to for him. Because of this, Kise finds himself sighing, because Aomine deserves an answer from him. He just doesn't know what to say—what to think.

* * *

_**A/N:** So. A lot of stuff happened, and I hope it was pleasant and enjoyable? Aomine isn't home free yet, obviously, but there's some fun when it comes to actively wooing and trying to win someone over, right? And problems—they be arising, ever so slowly. Uhm. Yes. So nervous. ;u; But thank you for reading! If you have time, please review; I love hearing everyone's thoughts. Although I don't respond to every review (so sorry), I really truly appreciate the time and thought put in to them- they honestly inspire me for future chapters. So yes, thank you oodles. You're all wonderful people. OTL_

_But anyways, because I have other projects I want to work on, expect updates to be every other week for a while. I'm so sorry for changing the schedule so selfishly. ;A; Until next chapter, everyone!_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Title: **__Just Breathe (15/?)_  
_**Rating: **__T_  
_**Pairings: **__Aokise, KagaKuro, ImaSaku_  
_**Warnings: **__Unbeta'd, OOCness, cultural inaccuracies_  
_**Word Count:**__ 9100 approx._  
_**Summary: **__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time._  
_**A/N: **__Thank you so much for reviewing the last chapter, everyone! Or if you just read it, thank you for that too! I'm sorry I didn't get to respond to anyone. It's been busy; somehow I managed to force out another chapter though. ;u; Hopefully it will be an okay read! A lot of stuff will go down this chapter, some happy and then… not so happy. It starts and ends well though. ;D_

_Anyhoo~ enjoy! And Happy Holidays to you all. :3_

* * *

Twelve missed calls and a number of texts. That's what Kise notices when he first checks his phone. The next thing sends him in to a panic though, because the time at the top of the lit up screen reads 8:43am and he's going to be _late_! The shocked intake of air he takes causes Aomine's brows to furrow, and his following flurry of movement to straighten his wrinkled clothing while scrambling towards the door makes Aomine ask what the Hell is wrong with him. Kise simply says that he's going to be late for physical therapy, and complains about how Aomine hadn't woken him sooner. This causes a little squabble about how it was Kise's fault for falling asleep in the first place, which leads to blaming Aomine for emotionally exhausting him with sweetness, onwards in to a continuous and lighthearted banter until Aomine throws a sweater at him to wear instead of the wrinkled mess of a button down he wears now.

They borrow the neighbor's bike. She looks at their rumbled selves with a raised brow before she turns to Aomine, telling him that while it's none of her business, he better be safe. Kise doesn't understand, but he notices Aomine's face color slightly. The reaction makes Kise cock his head to the side in confusion—of course Aomine will be safe with him! While Aomine fetches the bike though, the lady says confusing things under her breath. 'Kids these days,' and 'Still so young.' Kise decides, as Aomine and he slowly make their way down too many stairs, that Aomine's neighbor may be crazy. Crazy, but nice, considering she's letting them use her bicycle.

"Is Aominecchi okay to do this? Aren't you tired from yesterday?" Kise asks, once they're on their way towards the rehabilitation center. From where he sits on the back of the bike, he can't clearly see the other's face, but he notices Aomine's shoulders. It briefly startles him, because he can't recall when they became so broad. Hesitantly, he places his hands a top them and asks, "Aominecchi?"

"I'm fine." Aomine grunts.

"You're not lying, right?" Kise asks, rubbing his thumbs softly in to Aomine's shoulder. Both his actions and words cause the power forward to sigh; blue eyes turn to glance back at him and Kise watches the other warily, thumbs pausing in their ministrations.

"I'm sore as Hell." Aomine admits, turning to face forward again. "But it's fine. It's not like anything hurts."

It's Kise's turn to sigh now, because he's filled with relief that Aomine is being honest with him and hadn't hurt himself. The power forward will have a match with Yosen in the semifinals—with Murasakibara, and Aomine can't afford to be injured. Kise smiles to himself and continues rubbing his friend's back. At the speed Aomine is pedaling, they should make it on time. As the wind blows past them, turning Kise's nose and cheeks a soft pink, the blonde lets himself think instead of filling the comfortable silence.

How does he feel about Aomine? Kise knows he likes the other, but is it in the same way that Aomine likes him? He doesn't even know where to start thinking; Kise has had people he's liked, but never someone as special as Aomine. While lost in his thoughts, Aomine calls him out of his daze once they reach the center.

Kiyoshi waits for him at the front, smiling at him when he walks in with Aomine beside him. "You look awfully cozy today." The brunette says, a wide grin on his face.

"It's because of Aominecchi." Kise beams as he tries to tame his mussed hair, and Kiyoshi seems to falter, glancing towards Aomine who looks equally as rumpled before turning back to him with a raised brow. It takes Kise a moment, but he catches what Kiyoshi must be thinking and frantically shakes his head. "N-no! Aominecchi's sweater! It's really comfy!"

Beside him, he hears Aomine shuffle awkwardly; when Kise looks, he sees that the other appears exasperated and then he realizes that maybe what he said didn't better the situation. Before he can further correct what could be a misunderstanding though, Kiyoshi smiles at him and laughs.

His face feels too hot, and with Aomine's scent all around him, it makes it more difficult to quell the heat. In an act of mercy, the physical therapist comes in and takes both Kiyoshi and he to the side room. Aomine tells him that he'll stay in the waiting room, plopping down in a chair as Kise goes. As he follows after the therapist that pushes Kiyoshi's wheelchair, amber eyes glance back at the power forward who slumps forward in a plush seat, scrubbing away a barely there blush with his hands. The sight makes Kise smile and he turns to focus on his rehabilitation. It's nice to know that Aomine is as affected as him in situations like these.

"When you didn't show up ten minutes early like you usually do, I started to worry." Kiyoshi says, looking back at where Kise sits on a mat stretching as the physical therapist places heating devices on his knee. "It looks like you just rolled out of bed; did you sleep in?"

"I did just roll out of bed, actually." Kise chuckles as he pulls his left leg towards his chest. When the therapist leaves with a promise to return in a couple of minutes after making sure they're okay, Kise continues with a laugh, "Aominecchi actually pushed me out of bed, but it's the same idea."

"Aominecchi did?" Kiyoshi asks slowly, and Kise realizes that_ damn it _he's done it again.

"N-nothing happened!" Kise exclaims, sitting up to better look at the other with wide, panicked eyes. Shaking his head, he adds, "We both just fell asleep!"

"Is that so?" Kiyoshi asks, smiling that same smile from before that causes Kise to flush miserably. "Is that what they're calling it these days?"

"K-Kiyoshi-kun!" Kise whines, and the other laughs heartily.

"I'm just teasing, don't worry about it." Kiyoshi says.

It's not that the teasing bothers Kise at all, but it makes him think of Aomine and the other's confession that he still doesn't know how to respond to. It gets him down, because while he knows what he thinks of Aomine, he doesn't know what he thinks of the other in a romantic way. He sighs and turns back to his stretches. Sensing his inner anxieties, Kiyoshi frowns and leans forward a bit.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kiyoshi asks. "It looks like you have a lot on your mind."

"Someone… confessed to me recently." Kise says, knowing full well how obvious it is that it was Aomine. Regardless, Kiyoshi doesn't say anything about it and instead only watches him thoughtfully. "And while I'm happy, I don't know how to respond."

"Do you like this person in the same way?" Kiyoshi asks.

"I'm not sure." Kise sighs, collapsing forward over his legs and pulling his feet back. "Maybe?"

"What do you mean?" Kiyoshi prompts, and for a while Kise stays quiet. When he does choose to speak, it's in a whisper that the brunette has to lean closer to him to hear.

"Liking someone for how they make you feel is sort of shallow, isn't it?" Kise murmurs.

"It's only natural, I think." Kiyoshi says.

"I like this person a lot, but I'm afraid it may be because they spoil me, and make me feel good." Kise says, fidgeting anxiously and glancing in the direction of the waiting room that's far enough away that Aomine won't be able to hear anything.

"Ah." Kiyoshi hums, rolling back and forth in his chair. After a few moments he continues with a small smile, "Instead of thinking about their actions, why don't you think about their person, hm?"

"Their person?" Kise asks, looking up at the other.

"Mhm." Kiyoshi nods. "The person I like is incredibly dependable and strong-willed. They're opinionated and get mad at me when I act recklessly, but only because they care about my well-being."

There's a far-off and fond look in Kiyoshi's brown eyes. The center lowers his head slightly, smiling at nothing in particular as he speaks of his special person, "They're supportive, even if their way of showing it is a bit unconventional. Ah—they can be a bit scary too, but I think it's cute! Hahahah~! What about you though, Kise-chan?"

But Kise isn't looking. Kiyoshi frowns and pushes himself up slightly in his wheelchair to garner a slightly better view of Kise. The boy looks absolutely shocked, with wide eyes, mouth agape, and body stark still. Kiyoshi wonders if perhaps the model came to a realization as he had been rambling. The center asks, "Kise-chan?"

Amber eyes turn to look at him, and Kiyoshi pauses because Kise's brows pull down at the outside edges and the small forward looks ready to cry. Because of the machine Kiyoshi is hooked up to, he can't roll over to the younger teen, but then Kise speaks.

"My toes." Kise says, sounding entirely short of breath, and Kiyoshi looks down at the kid's left foot and—

"They're moving—" Kiyoshi says, staring in awe at the slow curling and uncurling motion of the digits.

Kise nods, his tousled blonde hair falling in to the way of tearing eyes. There's a shuddering breath before Kise bites his lower lip, a smile tugging at its corners regardless before it's covered by a fair hand. A loud inward gasp sounds from through the pointless cover before the hand drops and Kise beams at the other with a wobbly smile.

"Ah!" Kiyoshi cheers, pulling the heating contraption off of his knee so that he can roll to where Kise sits on the mat a number of feet away. The physical therapist may get annoyed, but this is more important!

Kise wiggles his toes some more, cheering alongside Kiyoshi until the therapist comes rushing in, asking if everything is okay. It's then that Kise remembers that Aomine is in the waiting room, and he yells as loudly as he can manage, "Aominecchi! _Aominecchi!_"

As expected, Aomine comes darting around the corner quickly, stopping only when he kneels at Kise's side. Blue eyes trail over Kise's form to make sure nothing happened before looking in to amber confusedly. Kise simply beams before throwing his arms around Aomine's neck and clinging to the other for all he's worth. In order to support the both of them, Aomine keeps one hand firmly on the ground with the other supporting Kise's back. The bluenette asks what's going on, and Kise answers with moving his little toe against Aomine's calf. The odd feeling makes Aomine frown and look back, and Kise curls his toes as if to wave.

"Your—" Aomine starts, turning back to look at Kise who had pulled away just slightly, enough in order to see Aomine's expression. Before the power forward has to say anything more, Kise blinks back some tears and smiles a watery grin as he nods.

Instead of saying anything more, Aomine breathes loudly and holds Kise more closely, and Kise _sobs_ because his toes—he can move his toes! The relief he feels is like nothing he's felt before. Recently he had begun resigning himself to the life of being crippled, to a life with no basketball and no way to connect to the majority of his friends, but now—

Maybe he'll be able to walk again. Maybe he can play basketball again. Maybe he can play basketball with _Aomine_ soon!

He hiccups and breathes hitched breaths. Aomine's shirt is wet from his tears, but Kise is too happy to stop. Laughter escapes him and he holds on to Aomine more tightly. Beside him, Kiyoshi and the physical therapist offer him smiles that he can't see from where he hides in Aomine's shoulder, but he can feel them. Everything about this moment is perfect.

"Stop crying, idiot." Aomine murmurs softly as he pulls back to look down at Kise's splotchy face. The power forward's lips quirk up at one corner in to a contended smirk, and Kise nods while using the back of his sleeve to dry his tears. The comfort he finds in being held by the bluenette is sadly disrupted at a loud call of his name. Just the voice causes both he and Aomine to look towards the entryway of the room they're in. No one is there yet, but footsteps quickly approach.

"Shit." Aomine murmurs, looking down at Kise briefly and offering a small smile before he stands and dashes behind some equipment along the wall of the entrance. Kiyoshi and the physical therapist watch in confusion, but say nothing when his mother rushes in to the room, pausing briefly at the sight of him before rushing over to hug him tightly.

"Ryouta!" She cries, cradling him with trembling arms. "You weren't picking up your phone, and I had no idea where you were! I was so worried. If it's about our fight, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"

"Oh, it's okay mom." Kise says, pushing her back slightly so that she can better see that he's fine. He smiles at her and looks down at his foot; her gaze follows and he wiggles his toes.

"Your foot?" She gasps, looking up at him with wide eyes.

Kise grins and nods fervently. His mother smiles as well and hugs him again, talking in quick sentences about how they need to call a doctor to talk to them about this development and how she's so happy for her son and how he can have a future with so many more options now. Through all of her ranting though, all Kise notices is Aomine who sneaks quietly to the entrance before looking back at him, offering him a small wave before slipping away unnoticed. It makes Kise feel a little sad that the other has to go, but it's for the better that his mother doesn't see the bluenette.

It's then that he thinks about what Kiyoshi said. Kise knows that Aomine makes him happy, that he loves how Aomine can make him feel so special, but what else? What is it about Aomine Daiki that he likes?

* * *

It's the beginning of January, nearly two weeks since he confessed. Although he hadn't been expecting a response from Kise right away, he hadn't expected to have to wait to so long either. It's not entirely Kise's fault though, Aomine supposes. He did choose to visit his family at the start of the New Year for a few days—but regardless, it's been too long and Aomine feels antsy. The Winter Cup had ended long ago; after beating Yosen in the semifinals, he went on to face Rakuzan in the finals, which was disappointing considering he wanted a rematch with Kagami and Kuroko.

It was a bit embarrassing and entirely too frustrating, but Akashi had stopped in the middle of the second quarter, demanding he sit out. Not because the captain wanted a better chance at winning, but because those damn eyes noticed the excessive strain his shoulders were under and the injury they were undoubtedly heading towards. Even if he could still play, Akashi's intimidation and his own coach's orders pulled him back, which ultimately lead to Tōō's loss. It was frustrating, but not the end of the world. If he had to do it all again, he wouldn't change his rash actions in his quarterfinal match with Kaijō that led to his predicament.

"Your shoulder all healed up now?" Kagami asks. They stand on one of the public courts, playing idly now that the season is over. It's cold, but braving the weather is worth being able to play again after so long of doing nothing.

"Yeah, but even if it wasn't I could still kick your ass." Aomine quips, dribbling the ball before casually tossing it in to the hoop.

"You kick your own ass, playing so recklessly and getting yourself hurt." Kagami huffs as he catches the ball as it goes through the hoop. The other decides they should have a one-on-one, and bounces it to him, only to have Aomine bounce it right back before they start.

"Like you're one to talk." Aomine scoffs, following Kagami to the half-court line while making no move to steal the ball. He waits until the other power forward gets to the net in an attempt to dunk before slapping the ball away, quickly grasping it in hand before it can go out of bounds.

"Shut up," Kagami grunts, screening him once they jog to half-court and back. Aomine snickers when he pretends to jump and shoot, effectively faking Kagami out. As the other is still airborne, Aomine moves aside and jumps as the other descends before dunking the ball. They play a few more points in a similar fashion, until they're both panting for air and Kagami is frustrated and demanding a rematch through gasps.

"You were seriously passionate in that match against Kaijō though. What was up with that?" Kagami asks, one hand on his hip while the other pulls up at the neckline of a dark shirt to wipe off the sweat their earlier match had caused. Red eyes turn to watch him curiously. "You weren't even in Zone and the pressure was crazy."

"Was it?" Aomine asks, even though he knows. A number of people had commented on it already; it's embarrassing that he had been so obvious, but he supposes it all worked out in the end.

"Were you trying to show off or something?" Kagami teases.

"Pft. That was the team that fucked Kise over, of course I was going to break them." Aomine grumbles, scooping the ball from off the ground to bounce it angrily a few times. The longer he thinks about the matter though, the more pissed he feels, so he throws the ball forcefully in to the basket. "Those fuckers deserved to feel helplessness, after they took advantage of Kise and then tossed him aside once he wasn't useful to them."

"You're really angry." Kagami states.

"No shit." Aomine huffs, turning to glare at his friend.

"It's like you're defending the person you like—"

Aomine gives the other a hard stare, and then there's a terse and momentary silence.

"Oh." Kagami says, eyes widening in realization. The power forward's mouth opens and closes comically as Kagami processes the information and thinks about what to say. When he finally gathers himself, Aomine already looks away embarrassedly. "_Kise _isthe guy you always talk about?"

"Who else would it be, Bakagami?" Aomine huffs before chancing a look back at his dumbstruck friend. The look of surprise causes Aomine to flush and look away again. "Don't look at me like that! I don't _always_ talk about him either, damn it."

"Yeah, yeah. Think what you want." Kagami says, walking over to a nearby bench to sit down. Leaning back in to the backrest, he continues, "Kuroko had said something about you two looking close, but I didn't consider you having a thing for him."

"Yeah, well…as I said before, it's not going anywhere." He grumbles, falling in to the open space beside Kagami with a huff. He stretches out his legs and scowls at nothing in particular.

"You don't know that." Kagami says, glancing over at the bluenette. "Have you said anything to him about it?"

"I confessed after the match against Kaijō." Aomine mumbles. "He hasn't given me an answer."

Which is frustrating, because with each passing day he loses more hope in the already hopeless matter. Kise is handsome and charismatic and can find someone much better and female. Aomine was stupid for having said anything; while their friendship hasn't changed, there's a growing tension caused by his own impatience. If Kise wants to reject him, he should do so now instead of stringing him along!

"Maybe he's thinking about it." Kagami says.

"For this long? He's probably trying to wait for me to forget about it for the sake of not embarrassing me." Aomine grumbles, scuffing his shoe over the ground.

"Kise's not that type of person." Kagami says, and Aomine knows. The confidence he usually has is slowly being ripped to pieces though. Kagami continues, "If it was after that match, then maybe he's intimidated. There was a lot going on then; did you not notice how quiet the stands were? That was entirely your fault. If that intensity was because of Kise, then maybe Kise doesn't want to give you a half-assed response."

"Tch." Aomine clicks his tongue, focusing his attention on his shoes. It's true he's thought his feelings through completely, and he can list the reasons he loves Kise at a drop of a hat, but that's because he spent months thinking about it. Is he supposed to wait months for an answer? "I'm not a patient sort of guy."

"Seems you've been learning, seeing as how you've given Kise all this time." Kagami notes, and Aomine can't help himself from blushing slightly, because it's true. With any other person he would have snapped after five or so minutes. When he doesn't speak, Kagami adds, "I would give him a little bit more time. If he hasn't said no yet, then there's still a possibility he likes you back."

"Mn." He grumbles.

"Are you always so pessimistic?" Kagami grumbles, shoving him in an attempt to get a rise out of him. At the moment though, Aomine is too pensive. "If it helps, it took Kuroko and me a year to figure things out."

And that snaps him out of it.

"What?" He asks, turning to look at Kagami in surprise.

"Ah, yeah." Kagami says, suddenly getting flustered and looking away. Meanwhile, Aomine's mind races, because how could he not have seen _that_ one coming? It was only obvious. He smirks as Kagami blushes lightly and bites back a snicker. "A while ago, I asked Kuroko out. He said that I was being unfair, since I had apparently overlooked all of his confessions and—yeah."

It's just like Tetsu to make confessions that are casual and easily looked over. Aomine can only imagine how many times the shadow had attempted to win Kagami's affection only to be viewed in a friendly way. Aomine asks, "So he didn't go all passive aggressive on you and make you wait in return?"

"For a while, actually." Kagami grumbles, stretching out his legs. "But we're fine; we're actually going out later today."

Just by watching the other, Aomine can see how happy Kagami is. It's different from how Kagami looks when he's on the court—it's a happiness reserved especially for Tetsu and he can't help the small smile that pulls at his lips. It's both nice and funny, to see Kagami look so love struck. "You're making a funny face." He teases, and Kagami immediately scowls at him.

"Shut up! You make faces when you think of Kise too!" The power forward growls.

Aomine balks, "Like I would do something so embarrassing! Don't lump me together with you."

"Tch. It's natural to do that when thinking of a person special to you." Kagami grumbles. "Everyone does it."

Everyone—Aomine wonders if Kise makes faces while thinking of him, or if Tetsu makes faces while thinking of Kagami. He supposes he has seen a similar look before, or rather, he knows he has considering Satsuki always ogles with just the thought of Tetsu.

Tetsu… who is dating Kagami.

"Oh shit." Aomine murmurs, realization finally hitting him. Beside him, Kagami watches him worriedly and with drawn brows. It's been nearly three years that Satsuki has harbored her one sided crush for Tetsu—if she were to find out— "Have you told anyone?" He asks, looking at his friend.

"Not really, no. Only our team and a few other people that found out by coincidence." Kagami says, then pauses when he seems to remember something. "Kuroko said something about wanting to tell your pink headed fried about it though, which I wasn't too sure about. I didn't want to hurt her feelings or anything, but Kuroko said it would be better for him to tell her personally instead of finding out through someone else."

"So Satsuki knows?" Aomine asks, and Kagami nods.

It's no wonder the girl had been uncharacteristically quiet over the time of their break! Why hadn't he assumed something sooner? He runs a hand through his sweat-matted hair, thinking of what he should do. Obviously he needs to get to her house and see how she's doing—she's probably a mess. Aomine knows how much she had liked Kuroko.

"I'm sorry if we… ah, hurt her feelings or anything." Kagami says awkwardly, yet sincerely.

"She'll get over it." Aomine says, pushing himself from off the bench before turning back to smirk at Kagami. "Just keep in mind that if you end up hurting Tetsu, she'll off you."

It had been time for her to move on years ago, but Aomine had genuinely hoped she would do so on her own. Having to deal with a crying Satsuki is just as painful as dealing with a depressed Kise. He sighs, settling in to a quick paced jog while pulling out his phone and hitting his third speed dial.

"Aominecchi?" Kise answers, and in the background he can hear Sakurai murmuring about something or another.

"Hey, I need a favor." He says, because he's positive this is going to be a mess, and what better way to make the situation better than to bring a bundle of sunshine and sweets to Satsuki's doorstep?

* * *

With each passing day, Kise begins to feel more guilty. Even if Aomine is being patient with him and not pressuring him, Kise knows that waiting for an answer is slowly getting to the other. It's not like Kise is purposefully trying to push the other though! It's just that he can't get his thoughts about Aomine straight. He had considered talking to his mom about the situation, but he doesn't want her assuming anything and wanting to meet the person that has him tripping over his crutches.

Maybe he could talk to someone else though? Kiyoshi is always free to talk, but lately the center seems stressed with preparing for exams and such. Kise sighs to himself, curling his toes in to the comforter a top his bed. At the movement, he can't help but to smile; with a quick recrimination, Kise resolves himself to focus on the matter at hand. Aomine needs an answer, and Kise needs to figure it out soon!

So he lies there, staring intensely up at his ceiling for a few seconds before sighing. Still nothing, or rather—too much. Kise can't get his thoughts in order at all.

"I'll call someone." Kise mumbles to himself, holding his hand over his face before tapping and sliding with his thumb across the screen until he finds a suitable person to talk to. Once he does, he smiles brightly and taps at the screen to call before he holds the device to his ear. Usually when he tries calling this person, he'll be directed to voicemail after four rings, but this time it's picked up.

"Hello?"

"Midorimacchi!" Kise calls excitedly.

"Why are you calling?" Midorima asks, sounding decidedly less excited and less interested. It makes Kise laugh, especially when the other asks about the condition of his leg.

"It's well! I can actually feel my toes again; the doctors tell me that there's a possibility I'll be able to walk again." Kise breathes, still reveling in the good news. He steels himself though, remembering his initial reason for calling, "Midorimacchi! I need help with something, actually."

"For your rehabilitation? Your lucky item for today is—" Midorima starts, and Kise chuckles.

"No, it doesn't have to do with my leg. I actually wanted your advice about something! Recently someone—" Kise starts, eyes widening when he suddenly hears a dial tone. He frowns and pulls his phone away, pouting because Midorima hung up on him in the middle of a sentence! Kise supposes it's okay though; his old teammate was concerned about his health, at least. "Such a tsun tsun~!" Kise hums, and goes back to looking through his contacts.

"Oh!" He exclaims, sitting up on his bed. How had he not thought to call this person before? Kise smiles to himself and holds his phone to his ear, waiting for the person he calls to pick up.

"Hey." Kasamatsu's voice sounds, and suddenly Kise remembers why he hadn't called the older boy before.

"Ah, sorry, sorry! I was calling about love problems but that's not your forte, my bad!" Kise laughs and promptly hangs up. Kise can imagine the affronted face his senpai probably wears, and reminds himself to send an apology mail once he finishes finding proper help.

There's a number of people in his contacts, none of which Kise can imagine talking to about the matter. By the time he nears the end of his contacts he's about to give up, but then he sees Sakurai's name and brightens. Sakurai has a boyfriend, and understands the situation Aomine and he are in—this could work out perfectly! Instead of calling though, he slips in to the sweater he has yet to return to Aomine and hurries out the door.

Sakurai will know what to do!

Sakurai can help him find an answer to give Aomine!

"Eh!? He confessed to you? When? How?" Sakurai asks upon hearing the situation, and Kise is a little more than surprised at how excited the other appears to be. They sit quietly on the former's bed, bundled in warm blankets and Kise realizes that it's been too long since they've hung out casually like this. He misses it.

"You don't seem surprised." Kise laughs, cheeks flushing at Sakurai's enthusiasm.

"Oh! S-sorry! It's just that… Aomine-kun had always seemed so taken with you that… I figured it was only a matter of time. I'm sorry." Sakurai says, and Kise laughs with how red the boy turns. He shakes his head, blonde hair falling this way and that, before offering his friend a shy smile.

"I hadn't even realized. I just thought Aominecchi was being nice." Kise chuckles, shifting to get more comfortable. "But to answer your question, he confessed after the match against Kaijō. We went back to his apartment and we talked about some things… and it just sort of happened."

When Sakurai presses for more details, Kise laughs, face coloring. Regardless of his being flustered, he tells Sakurai everything—about how he felt during the match, about what happened after, about Aomine straining his shoulders and about trying to rub the knots out, about Aomine explaining why he did what he did and the feelings that gave Kise, and about being confessed to and crying, and then falling asleep and waking up together. The memory makes Kise smile the most embarrassing smile he's ever dared smile, but he can't help himself. The butterflies that flit about in his stomach tickle him pleasantly; even Sakurai appears to brighten at the recollections.

"That's so much more romantic than I had imagined." Sakurai sighs, once Kise finishes speaking.

"What?" Kise asks, head falling to the side and in to the excessive puff of a blanket. "I don't think I heard you right."

"Eh?" Sakurai asks, eyes widening comically. "I-I didn't say anything important. Um—what do you plan on telling Aomine-kun? It's been a long time since then."

"That's the thing, I don't know!" Kise sighs, lips pursing slightly as he frowns.

"Well, do you like him?" Sakurai asks.

"Of course I do." Kise answers without pause. "It's just… a while back, we talked about the type of person we like. In hindsight I realize he was talking about me and it's… and the extent of his feelings in that quarterfinal match… Aominecchi deserves that kind of thought and consideration from me in return."

If Sakurai is thinking of something else, the brunette keeps it to himself in favor of offering Kise a small smile, "Then give him that. Think about him as a person, and tell me what you think."

"Oh…'kay." Kise nods, pausing briefly to hide in the blankets because just the thought of doing this is embarrassing. It's for Aomine though, so he'll manage. After taking a deep breath, he says, "Aominecchi loves basketball."

"Mhm?" Sakurai prompts, nodding encouragingly.

"Aominecchi is—" He pauses, lowering his head as he whine. "This is really embarrassing, Sakurai-kun."

"You were doing fine. Keep going." Sakurai encourages, and Kise breathes deeply.

"Um. Aominecchi loves basketball, and he also loves challenges. Aominecchi is the type of guy that gets bored easily, when nothing is around to make him try harder to be better. He's a bit lazy, but lately he's become motivated. Seeing someone so talented work so hard is inspiring, I think. Aominecchi is really cool and mesmerizing, don't you think?" Kise asks, pausing to chuckle. "Just from watching him, you can tell how passionate he is towards the things he loves. People always seem to think that he's scary and intimidating, but I think Aomine wants everyone to view him in a certain way. I think Aominecchi is afraid of being vulnerable, but that honest side of him is really nice. It's silly, but a part of me feels anxious knowing that someone else can have that, along with Aominecchi's kindness and sweetness. Aominecchi is also protective, and he always seems to know how to make you feel better. I guess that means he's just an insightful person though, huh?"

Kise takes a moment, pausing to collect his thoughts. A fond smile pulls at his lips that he directs towards nothing in particular. "Aominecchi has a lot of good qualities, but I like his faults too. Aominecchi's selfishness, his possessiveness, even his perverseness. My favorite fault is probably that he always has to be the tough guy though. It's just like Aominecchi to want to be the strong one, although it is a bit frustrating that he hides things from me, in order not to worry me." Kise sighs contentedly, mind pleasantly full of Aomine. "But it's fine; it's not like we can't work on those things together. Aominecchi's faults, his strengths—they make Aominecchi who he is and I like those things."

"So, if you like all those things, then what do you think of dating Aomine-kun?" Sakurai asks, a small smile on his face because it's so _obvious _that Kise is just as smitten as Aomine.

"I don't know." Kise sighs, happy mood gone. "I've always known that I like Aominecchi, but I'm just—what if I'm not what he wants?"

"Aomine-kun seems to be the type to know what he wants." Sakurai encourages, tilting his head slightly to establish eye contact with his friend. Kise feels ready to cry though, so he looks away anxiously. The blonde just can't stop thinking of what could happen to their relationship, or what would happen if Aomine were to start to not like him. It's terrifying. Sakurai starts again, "Why is Kise-kun so scared?"

"Because right now, everything is perfect. And I don't want to lose that." Kise murmurs, lowering his head shamefully. He's the type of person to be optimistic and confident; where are all these insecurities coming from? Is it because, up until Aomine had started treating him special, Kise had felt useless? He sighs, jumping slightly when Sakurai saddles up beside him as a pillar of comfort. Kise sighs again and drops his head on to his friend's shoulder. This situation shouldn't be as messy as it is.

"Who says you'll lose it?" Sakurai asks softly. "Who says it won't become more perfect?"

Kise remains quiet, listening to his friend's words.

"Aomine-kun looks at you differently from everyone else. Did Kise-kun know that? It's a special kind of look reserved for only the most special of people." Sakurai says. "And sometimes, when you aren't looking, Aomine-kun will smile."

Kise's heart skips a beat. Multiple beats and he has to turn his head slightly to hide his own blush. A part of him can't believe that's true, but he knows it is—he acts similarly as well. Aomine just makes Kise feel so special, so perfect and warm, and Kise wouldn't mind having that to himself; it's not like he wants to share. Amber eyes hide beneath partially lowered lids, and Kise breathes a deep breath. Aomine makes Kise happy, and Kise wants to make Aomine happy—wants to make Aomine feel special and perfect and warm. Kise likes Aomine, and wants Aomine, but he's still not sure. He asks, "What's your favorite part of being with Imayoshi-san?"

"E-eh!?" Sakurai stutters, face flushing. The brunette fidgets for a few moments, tripping over unfinished words until he manages to say, "Just being together is n-nice, but I really like when he holds my hand."

It's a simple connection, but special. Kise looks at his own hand, imagining Aomine's curling around it. Aomine has nice hands, large and calloused. Kise wonders if they would feel nice, holding his own. A soft blush spreads across his cheeks at the thought, because it's a _really nice _thought that sends his heart in to a flurry of quick palpitations. There to interrupt his daydream though, is his phone, which vibrates in his pocket. With a grumble, he lifts his head from Sakurai's shoulder and grabs his phone, poking it out of the covers he hides in to see who it is. When he sees Aomine's name on the screen, Kise lights up and quickly answers.

"Aominecchi!"

The other sounds distraught; when he finds out the reasoning over Sakurai's call that he'll be back in a moment, he understands why. A large part of him feels guilty, because while he's debating on dating someone, Momoi doesn't have a choice.

* * *

When Aomine opens the door to her room, she's simply sitting on the edge of her bed. The television is off, and it's uncomfortably quiet. Most of the lights are turned off; only her bedside light remains on, casting a warm yellow glow across one portion of the room. It's been three days since she's heard the news, and while she's been able to hold it together, everything comes crumbling down once she sees her best friend. Momoi bites her lip to try to keep herself composed, but it's useless. She can already feel her nose wrinkling as her face scrunches up, and her eyes sting and her breath catches painfully in her throat.

"Dai-chan," Momoi sniffles, and before she realizes, she's wrapped in Aomine's arms, being held closely and comfortingly. The warmth her friend provides only makes her fall apart more though; each intake of air is hitched, and when she tries to exhale she wails pitifully. Tears fall freely as she sobs openly, turning her head in to Aomine's shirt. It takes some effort to move her arms, but she manages to wrap the trembling limbs around Aomine's middle and she _clings_.

It hurts. Everything hurts so badly. It feels like the world beneath her has stopped existing, and it feels like the pain in her chest will never go away. Momoi remembers Kuroko's words, and how happy Kuroko was beneath the surface, thinking of someone who isn't her. It's painful, because for three years, Kuroko had been that person for her. Kuroko will probably be the only boy she'll ever love—and she'll die alone now, and while she has tried convincing herself that it's okay, that Kuroko is happy, _she's not_.

"Come on, stop crying." Aomine mumbles; she can feel the vibration of his voice from where the top of his head nestles against his throat. The power forward tightens his told slightly, digging his chin in to her head. "You're an ugly crier, stop."

"Shut. Up." Momoi sobs, moving her hand so that she can better punch her friend. She's not upset with his words—Momoi knows that Aomine simply hates to see her cry and gets panicked when she doesn't stop. Right now, the situation is just a bit overwhelming though. Her body shudders from the force of her crying and she chokes out, "I would if I could, stupid."

"I know." Aomine sighs, rubbing her back like he always does when she gets in to depressed moods like this. Any other time, she would admit to her being the luckiest girl in the world, to have such a good friend, but right now it's impossible. Having a broken heart sucks too much. When she continues hiccupping and crying, Aomine murmurs a soft, "What was it about Tetsu you liked so much, anyways?"

"Tetsu-kun was unpredictable." She says, not pausing to think.

"Ah. Well that kind of screwed you over in the end, huh?" Aomine jokes, and for a brief moment she pouts before she has to sniffle.

"I'm brokenhearted and Dai-chan is making jokes." Momoi complains, wiping her face on the boy's shirt. When Aomine places two large hands a top her shoulder, gently nudging her back, she protests, but eventually gives in. With a bit of space between them, she looks up, uncaring that her face looks a mess. Aomine sighs, using the back of his sleeve to scruff her face clean of tears.

"I'm serious." He says, and when he runs a hand through still damp hair from an earlier shower, it sticks up cutely. It makes her want to smile, because Aomine rushed over without his usual composure. Even the bluenette's socks don't match. Without prompt, Aomine continues, rearranging himself so that he can be more comfortable on her bed, "I get that you like surprises and all that, but when it comes to a person… isn't some predictability nice?"

"I don't know what Dai-chan means." Momoi sighs.

"Wouldn't you rather know everything about the person you like, instead of being unsure?" Aomine asks, leaning back in to his hands as he looks in to pink eyes. "Their actions and feelings—not being sure about what that person will do is stressful, isn't it? And doesn't it make you feel awful, that you don't know them well enough to understand them? Predictability can be boring at times, sure… but there would be assurance in it."

There are a number of valid points in Aomine's argument. If she had been able to understand Kuroko's feelings, she would have been able to save herself from this heartbreak, and if she had understood Kuroko's actions, she should have realized that there was no deeper meaning to whatever he had done for her. Momoi is naïve—she hasn't grown at all since middle school.

"When did Dai-chan grow up so much? I feel like a child." She says, sniffling softly while wiping away her tears.

"If you look down at your tits, I'm sure you'll remember that you aren't a kid anymore." Aomine says, which earns him an affronted look and a punch in the arm. He snickers and shoves her, offering her a small smirk, "Since Tetsu was a man about the situation, I can't go beat him up. If something ever happens though, just let me know. I'll beat the shit out of whoever causes you to make that ugly face."

Momoi pouts at the insult, but her lips pull upward in to a smile. She pushes some hair behind her ear, reveling in the fact she has the best friend in the world. When she turns to look at him after a number of minutes, Aomine has himself sprawled across her bed and is playing a game on her phone. Wiping at her eyes one last time, she falls down beside him, cuddling up to him and giggling when he grunts. She asks, "Is Ki-chan predictable?"

"For the most part." Aomine says, placing the phone on top of his abdomen as he thinks. He snorts and closes his eyes, "When he gets here in a few minutes, he'll probably talk up your mom a bit before bombarding you with too much sugar. That idiot will probably bring those damn dramas you like too."

And as Aomine predicted, the doorbell rings and Momoi hears her mother answer the door. For a couple of minutes, the blonde sweet-talks the older woman downstairs and Momoi laughs when she hears her mother coo at the flattery. When Kise finally gets up the stairs, he has two bags of ice cream and candy, and another of DVDs of their favorite drama. When she looks at Aomine, who digs through one of the bags in search of something not obnoxiously sugar filled, he turns to her and rolls his eyes. Momoi smiles and marvels at the sight of Kise handing Aomine a decidedly less sweet treat and Aomine smirking contentedly and hitting the other's nose with the wrapped snack teasingly.

Maybe predictability isn't as bad as she had thought.

* * *

It's nearing 10 o'clock when they finally leave Satsuki's house. Although Kise initially argues against Aomine walking him home, the blonde doesn't protest when Aomine chooses not to listen. Doing this is normal; Aomine always walks Kise places—to physical therapy, to the idiot's apartment, and even to miscellaneous and oftentimes random shops. It's a small pleasure, and even if he's tired and wants to go to sleep, Aomine wouldn't give up the chance to be alone with Kise like this.

Moments like these, no matter how simple, are precious to him.

Kise sighs contentedly beside him, leisurely making his way forward along one of the various streets they have to cross to get to their destination. There's a rhythmic clack from the crutches, whenever they tap against the ground; Aomine watches from the corner of his eye, noticing offhandedly that on occasion Kise will bounce before going in to his next step. When he looks up at the other, Kise looks ahead thoughtfully. Aomine too, looks ahead and smirks to himself. "Is my sweater warm?"

For a brief moment, Kise stops. When Aomine looks back at the boy, Kise makes a strangled and embarrassed expression, comically intensified by a dark blush. And yes, moments like these are definitely important to Aomine Daiki.

"I-I'm sorry for wearing it without permission." Kise stutters, hands clenching tightly around the handles of the crutches. The blonde looks this way and that, refusing to meet Aomine's gaze. It amuses him how flustered the other becomes over such a small matter. "When we get to my place, I'll definitely return it!"

"Mn." Aomine hums, watching Kise appreciatively. The bluenette supposes that the good thing about having confessed means that he doesn't have to be as secretive about his own feelings. It's fun to make Kise squirm under the intensity of his glances, or with his shameless flirting. He puts his hands in his pockets, rocking back on to his heels, "You can wear it as much as you want; it looks good on you."

Because it's his, and when Kise wears his things, he can imagine that maybe Kise could be his as well—or that others will assume that the model is happily taken, or—

"You're saying that because it's yours." Kise says, pursing his lips slightly in to a pout.

"That may influence my opinion a bit." Aomine teases, smirking playfully at Kise. In response, Kise simply lowers his head with a flustered smile and an appealing flush across his cheeks.

"It may influence me and why I seem to like it so much." Kise chuckles, taking a few steps forward again to get their pace going again. The comment makes Aomine a bit flustered, and damn it if Kise is going to flirt back at him, why not give him an answer about his earlier confession? He matches Kise's pace easily, and after a few feet Kise glances at him with a bright smile, "It is warm though. And smells like Aominecchi."

Son. Of. A. Bitch.

"You're such a fucking tease." Aomine grumbles under his breath, and Kise laughs heartily.

"May I tease you one last time, before we reach the complex?" Kise asks, tone saccharine sweet and with pleading eyes and batting eyelashes. It's as if Kise expects him to say no with the additional begging. Aomine wonders if this idiot knows of or is oblivious to the fact that Aomine is wrapped around his finger. When Kise stops walking again to watch him inquisitively, Aomine stops as well with a sigh.

"What is it?" Aomine asks, and Kise looks away shyly. It's a stark contrast from the flirt from minutes earlier. He wonders what Kise is going to do that seems to get the blonde so fidgety.

"Hand." Kise murmurs, eyes focused on the ground. As soon as the model finds the courage, amber eyes turn to look at him nervously before Kise says again, "Can we hold hands?"

"Eh?"

Isn't that a bit cruel?

"I just… really want to hold Aominecchi's hand." Kise mumbles docilely, shuffling his crutches over the ground. The request seems to come out of nowhere, but if Kise wants to do this with him, then it can't mean anything bad, right?

Aomine really wants to hold Kise's hand as well. Has wanted to since months ago, nearly a year ago, even. Taking a quiet, steadying breath, Aomine takes a few steps so that he can stand beside Kise. The model watches him anxiously, and Aomine is positive that their hearts beat at the same overwhelming pace. Slowly, he reaches forward, easing the right crutch away from the blonde. Once gone, Kise puts more weight on to the remaining crutch and continues to watch Aomine; the small forward's face colors with each movement Aomine makes, and Aomine can feel his body become hot as well.

The first touch of their hands is tentative. It's shy, cautious, and shaky. Kise's breathing comes out in a shuddering puff of white air, and Aomine sighs through his nose. He trails his calloused fingers along the inside of Kise's palm, reveling in the small shudder that racks up the model's spine and leaves Kise gasping quietly for air. This is different from flirting, this is different from everything they've done together thus far—it's new and physical. It's a connection and it feels nice, it feels _right_. Aomine breathes out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding, gently curling his hand around Kise's own. Aomine tightens his hold, coaxing Kise to wrap clammy fingers around his palm, and when Kise does, Aomine smiles to himself and turns to look down at Kise, who stares at their entwined hands in wonder before turning to look up at him. The smile he receives is brief and shy; Kise lowers his head too quickly, but it's okay. They don't need to see each other's stupid grins right now.

"Not that I mind, but what brought this on?" Aomine asks, once they figure out how to move forward without Kise falling. They have to move more slowly than usual, but if Aomine gets to hold Kise's hand like this—he doesn't care if it takes them until sunrise.

"It's almost like walking again, without the other crutch." Kise giggles serenely, and Aomine feels contentedness spread throughout his being, because right now Kise looks both happy and hopeful. It's nice. The blonde lets the idle comment sit though, in favor of contemplating Aomine's question. Kise lowers his head slightly from embarrassment before looking forward again, cautiously glancing in his direction. "When Sakurai-kun said that this was what he enjoyed doing with Imayoshi-san most, I had thought, 'I want to try with Aominecchi.'"

"Ah." Aomine says, focusing his attention forward. He's not sure he can have this conversation looking at Kise directly. Slowly, he continues, "What else did you talk about?"

Kise breathes, his hold on Aomine's hand tightening. "You."

"What about me?" Aomine asks, unable to resist his own curiosity, because what Kise says is going to determine where their relationship goes. The air around them is suffocating, but Kise's hand that holds his own keeps him grounded and steady.

"About how much I really like Aominecchi." Kise says quietly, and at the same time they squeeze one another's hands and breathe. While Aomine's heart thunders in his chest at Kise's confession, Kise continues in a shaky voice, "About how Aominecchi makes me feel happy, and special, and good about myself. And—and about how Aominecchi is kind, and gentle, and encouraging to me, and how Aominecchi is rough around the edges, but sensitive and passionate and—and how when I'm with you, it becomes easier to breathe."

So much at once leaves them both breathless, and in his hand he can feel how Kise's body trembles from nerves. The model's face is flushed pink, and amber eyes remain downcast and teeth bite in to a full lower lip. Kise gasps once more, slowing their face until they completely stop, "I like Aominecchi. I like you, so much."

It's obvious that Kise is terrified, that there is a number of insecurities they'll have to talk about, and problems they'll have to face. It will be together though, because Kise likes him, and he likes Kise. As comfortingly as he can, he holds on to Kise's hand reassuringly, unhurriedly urging them to walk again.

"Is it silly that I'm worried how our relationship may change?" Kise asks, after they walk a block in silence. He takes a moment to consider the question; never once had he worried about how things would differ. It's a logical thing to consider, but being with Kise—it's like nothing can ever be horribly wrong. It's a naïve thought, but he can't help himself.

"What's going to change about our relationship, stupid?" Aomine scoffs, looking up at the night sky. "I'm still going to walk you everywhere, and I'm still going to answer all your random calls and texts. I'm still going to eat the food you make me, and I'm still going to support you no matter what." Aomine pauses in order to look down at Kise, who looks up at him with a surprised expression. He smirks, "What's to be scared of?" and then lifts their hands, "A little hand holding? Or going on dates? We've already slept together, in case you've forgotten."

In response, Kise groans and lowers his head to hide his blushing. The blonde smiles though, and Aomine knows that he's eased the idiot's concerns, and that he has himself a boyfriend.

* * *

_**A/N:**__ And there we have it, chapter 15. (: I'm so sorry if it's not the best chapter, guys. ;A; I tried my best to simply get it done though, so that I wouldn't ruin the new schedule I had planned right away… and so I wouldn't disappoint anyone. ;~; But, yes. What did you guys think? All this Aokise is good, yes? ;D Ah~ Anyways, I want to thank everyone for reading, and for your support. Every little comment or sign that a reader was present is very encouraging, so yes. Thank you so much. You guys are the best!_


	16. Chapter 16

_**Title: **__Just Breathe (16/?)  
__**Rating: **__M  
__**Pairings: **__Aokise, KagaKuro, ImaSaku  
__**Warnings: **__Unbeta'd, OOCness, cultural inaccuracies  
__**Word Count:**__ 9300 approx.  
__**Summary: **__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time.  
__**A/N: **__Okay, I have tons to talk about guys, but I want to start with thanking everyone for their continued support of this work! Each review means so much to me, so thank you so much to everyone who took the time to leave me comments on their thoughts/feelings of last chapter! Thank you to those of you who have simply read everything too, and those of you who have favorited/alerted this story. It makes me very happy to see that I'm writing something the fandom (and Aokise shippers) like! C':_

_Second thing I need to mention is the rating change. Although I don't particularly agree with it, some of the content in this fic is technically 'M' rated, under the site's rating guide. So, yes. I'm very sorry if that change got anyone's hopes up, because there won't be any delivery. So sorry. Very sorry guys. ;n;_

_Lastly, is about the content of this chapter. Everything has been smooth sailing, but every relationship has its bumps. Aokise in particular at the moment. With how I've written things, I'm afraid I may have been too subtle with hinting at issues, so I'll just leave you with something to think about (sorry for my fails guys OTL). Keep in mind past chapters. What was Kise always thinking? What was Kise always talking about? What was Kise doing? As I said before—it was subtly written in, and I realize it may have been to the point that it could have been overlooked? Yes. I'll do better next time guys. OTL So very sorry again._

* * *

When Kise and he part ways at the elevator, it's with shy glances and embarrassed smiles. They make a promise to talk the following day, and with that Aomine waits contentedly until the doors to the elevator shut before he turns on his heel to start walking to his own home. It's embarrassing, but he feels lighter than he ever has before, and he can't stop from grinning. After all this time, and after all that inner turmoil and having to restrain himself, it's finally okay. It's okay because Kise feels the same as he does.

Kise _likes_ him.

Kise likes _him_.

Damn, he can't remember the last time he had felt so happy. Aomine may not be the type to share personal matters, but right now he really wants to share his excitement with someone. If he knew how his parents would respond to his dating another boy, he would call them, but since that's not the case, he considers the next most important person aside from Kise: Satsuki. Only she's dealing with heartbreak, so would she want to listen? Aomine pulls his phone out of his pocket and stares at the device with furrowed brows. For her sake, he should probably wait a little while longer, but then she'll get pissed if he doesn't tell her right away.

A groan pulls itself from his throat. Decisions. Or maybe not, because his phone lights up and begins to buzz idly in his hand, signaling an incoming call. When he sees who, he raises one of his brows curiously before flipping open the mobile and putting it to his ear. "Hey." He says, pausing his forward movement briefly in case he needs to turn around.

"Hey." Kise says, and the blonde sounds pleasantly breathless through the speaker. There's a quiet sound of shuffling, presumably from Kise childishly hiding under covers to keep their conversation more private, before the model continues in a hushed murmur, "I—uh."

"Everything okay?" He asks.

"Yeah. Yes. Everything's fine, I just—" Kise starts, uncharacteristically tripping over his words. From the other side of the line, Aomine hears Kise take a steadying breath before he says, "For some reason I felt like hearing Aominecchi's voice."

At the confirmation that everything was fine, Aomine had started moving forward again, but at Kise's closing statement, he has to pause. His face burns, and his mouth opens and closes helplessly in a search for words. Did that really just happen? Did Kise—Kise wanted to—Shit. It's been less than thirty minutes and Aomine is pretty sure that he's dying from how frantically his heart beats. With a minor stutter in his voice, he grunts, "M-moron! We talk every day." As he says this, he scrubs a hand over his face in hopes of quelling his blush. Aomine continues, breathing a flustered sigh, "It's late as well. You should sleep."

"I can stay up until Aominecchi gets back to his apartment." Kise says. It's only about ten minutes, so Aomine relents after telling Kise that he won't be held responsible for any dark circles the other may get from lack of sleep. Kise chuckles at his concern before they launch in to casual conversation about nothing in particular.

"So… Aominecchi is my boyfriend now, right?" Kise asks when Aomine informs the other that he made it back safely. The question temporarily stuns him, but then Aomine grins and answers, 'yeah.'

Being boyfriends isn't much different from being friends though, apparently. Because they still do the same things they always do, Aomine wonders if Kise actually understands. Maybe the other is just worried about appearance though? It wouldn't surprise Aomine. He's not one to care though, so he watches his boyfriend shamelessly. At first he had been looking forward to the opportunity to be able to look at Kise without having to be sneaky, but now he begins to notice more than Kise's pretty face, or Kise's thoughtful expression during lectures as he tries to learn the material. While they're in class together, Kise will look fine; on occasion, Kise will even be looking back at him. It's when Aomine returns to the classroom after having left to do something that he notices though—Kise looks _sad_. For the life of him, Aomine can't understand why, because when Kise notices him, that sad look vanishes in to looks of genuine happiness. Such an occurrence happens a number of times, and on multiple occasions it makes his brows furrow. Has this been happening all along? When he asks Satsuki, she doesn't seem too surprised.

Apart from that, Aomine notices that Kise reacts strongly to his moods. If Aomine is annoyed, Kise becomes antsy. If Aomine is frustrated, Kise defends his point of view, no matter how wrong he later realizes it to be. On one occasion when he was stressed out, Kise even took time away from work to help him out. As much as Aomine appreciates all the gestures, he's not sure how he feels about it. It seems natural, but then something seems off. It's like Kise's trying too hard to please him, and he wonders if it had always been this way.

'Clingy,' He later realizes, once he ends an hour long phone call for the sake of Kise being able to sleep. The realization surprises him, because Kise is the boy that hates to be held down and stifled. Aomine tries to think about if he's doing something to restrain the other, but he can't think of anything. He doesn't ask Kise to put him first. In fact, he doesn't want Kise to! Maybe it's simply because Kise is still injured though. That has to be the reason.

* * *

Ever since Imayoshi had mentioned Kise being dependent on Aomine, Sakurai hasn't been able to stop himself from thinking about if such an assumption is true or not. For the sake of his friend, he wants to vehemently deny the accusation, but when he's alone with his thoughts, there's doubt in his mind. It's true that Aomine and Kise are with each other all the time, and when they aren't, they spend their time talking over the phone or through text—Sakurai doesn't think that's what his boyfriend meant though. No, it's obvious that Imayoshi was referring to Kise's injury, and how it's not just Kise's leg that has become crippled.

Sakurai doesn't want to think that his best friend has become reliant on another person though, and that his best friend needs another person to move him forward. It's sad, and not like Kise at all. Kise is too bright of a person, and too strong. Kise is that boy on the court that Sakurai used to watch in awe, and who used to make Sakurai feel so _inspired_ because of the sheer amount of passion and dedication Kise put in to playing basketball. Someone like that, someone so _strong_—Sakurai doesn't want to believe that person can succumb to weakness, and can fall so low.

He won't do it. Kise is too good of a person.

But Sakurai isn't blind. He sees the way Kise clings to Aomine, and he sees the way only Aomine can boost the blonde's confidence and hopefulness in a situation. Sakurai realizes that without Aomine, Kise is little more than a lost and abandoned puppy, and Sakurai realizes that Aomine is the crutch that keeps Kise standing. Without Aomine, what is Kise? It's harsh, and leaves him feeling guilty, but Sakurai knows that Kise would become little more than a cripple with crushed dreams and aspirations, a boy without hope or desire to persevere. It's been a secret between them, but the blonde had once told Sakurai that he had no desire to breathe, at one point in time, when Kise's depression was at its worst. It was terrifying and kept him on edge, but Aomine showed up as a pillar of strength and everything became fine, because Kise _wanted _to breathe again; it became easier. Would Kise stop if Aomine were to leave?

His hands tremble at the thought, because while he can be there for Kise, he will never be the one that can make things right. Aomine shouldn't be that person either—it should be Kise. Sakurai understands what his boyfriend meant by those words said too long ago now, and it's painful. Kise has become complacent, and Kise has lost sight of the strong, determined, and zealous boy he had once been. Before, Kise had been an ace, someone that people could rely on; now, Kise can't even be compared to a shadow.

Sakurai wonders how Aomine hasn't noticed. Surely the other's patience has snapped at this point. It could be that Aomine has grown used to the new norm and simply doesn't realize though. Even if Aomine tells everyone to treat Kise normally, Sakurai wonders if perhaps Aomine still sees Kise as that boy that had collapsed on the court one winter ago, that boy that had been told he would never walk again.

While Aomine and Kise's relationship seems perfect at first glance, Sakurai can't help but to see all the holes present as he ponders. These two people are his friends; he doesn't want either of them getting hurt in the future. What should he do? Should he mention something? Should he ignore the matter completely? Sakurai doesn't know, and it leaves his stomach cramping from anxiety and his hands clammy.

To calm his nerves, he tries taking a deep breath, but it doesn't help. He mumbles to himself quietly, opening the door leading to the roof that Aomine and Kise spend their lunches on before rounding a corner.

It's a simple sight that awaits him—nothing unusual for a new couple. Despite his previous thoughts, Sakurai smiles slightly to himself. Even if the pair tells him it's only been a week, to him it's apparent that it's been at least six months. He hears Kise laugh before the blonde smiles downward at the other that lies on his lap. Aomine smirks up at the model, murmuring something that Kise responds to with fervor. It's cute and simple, and by looking at something like this, Sakurai would never assume that anything could be wrong with the couple.

"U-Um." Sakurai says, shuffling awkwardly because he's forced to ruin a sweet moment. Kise looks at him in surprise before smiling embarrassedly, a soft blush spreading across his cheeks from being caught in an affectionately casual position; in contrast, Aomine bends his head slightly and glares. The brunette looks down quickly and holds his own hand as he stutters, "O-Office! Aomine-kun was being called!"

"Ah?" Aomine complains, sitting up in order to look at him properly. "What did I do?"

"Eh~? What _did_ you do, Aominecchi?" Kise snickers, and Aomine scoffs in return with a proclamation of 'nothing!'

"I'm not sure what they wanted, I'm sorry! They've just been calling you for a while." Sakurai says, bowing his head.

Aomine groans under his breath, pushing himself from the ground and stretching. The bluenette yawns before strolling towards the staircase. "How annoying. I'll be back."

"Aominecchi better not be getting suspended for something!" Kise calls, and even with the distance that separates the group, Sakurai can hear Aomine snort before a door slams shut.

With it just being Kise and he on the roof, Sakurai feels awkward. It's not because Kise makes him uncomfortable, but he feels guilty for his earlier thoughts. Of course Kise will never know, but—but maybe Kise should? When brown eyes glance up to look at the model, he sees Kise sigh a bit despondently before smiling up at him brightly and waving for him to sit. "That silly Aominecchi," Kise chuckles, "Hopefully they won't hold him too long!"

"Yeah." Sakurai says, returning Kise's smile as he sits beside his friend.

"Aominecchi really liked that last recipe you showed me!" Kise says excitedly, turning to offer him a thankful smile. "I was surprised, because it tasted really different from how you had made it! That could be because I mixed up the measurements though, huh?"

"That could be." Sakurai chuckles before trailing off and cautiously asking, "May I talk with Kise-kun about something?"

"Eh?" Kise asks, perking up at the comment. Amber eyes look down at him before Kise nods. The blonde adds, "Sure, anything."

"Uhm—um." Sakurai starts, quickly becoming flustered. Instead of asking what he had initially wanted to, he stutters, "T-that test that's coming up! Do you know the material at all?"

"I almost forgot about that!" Kise gasps, then groans and thumps his head against the wall behind them. "I understand a bit, but I'm still unsure about a lot."

"Oh. Maybe we can study together beforehand then?" Sakurai offers, sending Kise a small smile.

"That sounds nice! Can Aominecchi come too?" Kise asks, returning his smile, and for some reason Sakurai's heart sinks at the mention of Aomine. Not because of jealousy, but because of the blunt reminder that Kise so heavily relies on the other and finds comfort in him.

"I-I don't mind." Sakurai says, looking to his hands that fidget anxiously with one another. "Don't you two ever want some space though?"

That had come out sounding too annoyed for Sakurai's liking. Before he can apologize though, Kise looks at him quizzically and with a tilted head. "What do you mean?"

"It's just… you're always with him, or talking to him." Sakurai murmurs. "Don't you ever want time to yourself?"

"I do get time to myself, like at work or when I'm sleeping." Kise says, and Sakurai fights back a sigh at the pathetic answer.

"What I'm trying to say is… don't you like doing stuff on your own anymore?" Sakurai mumbles, a part of him not wanting to be heard because he's afraid of starting a fight with his closest friend. The blonde frowns and looks away, but doesn't say anything. It worries him, but then Kise turns to him with a confused look and Sakurai knows that they're still okay—that Kise just doesn't understand what he's getting at.

"If Sakurai-kun wants to spend time with just us, he can just ask." Kise teases.

"That's not—" Sakurai starts, pausing when another voice filters in to their conversation.

"Not fair!" Momoi complains, walking over to them with crossed arms and puffed out cheeks. "I want to be included too!"

"W-we were just going to be studying, Momoi-san." Sakurai chuckles. "A group study wouldn't be too bad though."

"That sounds nice." Momoi says while she lowers herself to sit on the ground. She smiles happily before asking questions about what subject the test will be on, as well as the content. Somehow her class is taking the test before theirs, but she promises to help them out anyways.

"Momoicchi sounds happier." Kise notes, once they slip in to casual conversation. It's no secret amongst their group of friends that her feelings had been rejected; it saddens Sakurai that someone as amazing as Momoi can't find a person to reciprocate her feelings, but she seems content enough at the moment.

"I'm getting there." Momoi says, pushing some hair behind her ear. "There are actually some guys that I've been noticing. They're not interesting at all, but I think they're flirting with me."

"Momoi-san is always being flirted with." Sakurai says, pausing briefly before he adds, "At least, when Aomine-kun isn't around."

"I never noticed because I had been so caught up with Tetsu! It's like all my focus was on him, so I forgot about other things. Sometimes myself even." Momoi giggles, "Dai-chan can be very sweet though, right? Or at least, he had better be. You tell me if he's not, all right Ki-chan? I'll kick him."

At that moment, Aomine returns and complains about being the best damn boyfriend in existence, and Kise chuckles and agrees whole-heartedly. They inform the other about the upcoming test and meeting to study. At first, the power forward grumbles about going, but after Kise sends the bluenette a pleading look, the other consents grumpily. On their day off, they'll meet up at Imayoshi's apartment. When Aomine and Momoi say that they'll probably be late, Kise protests, but they eventually settle on starting early and waiting for the pair regardless. Sakurai admits to Imayoshi having a new roommate that is moving in earlier in the week, but his boyfriend promises that it won't be too much of a hassle.

Talking with Kise—he really needs to mention these things he notices properly. The time before Aomine and Momoi show up could be his opportunity.

"So why was Aominecchi called to the office?" Kise asks, looking towards the power forward curiously. In response, Aomine grunts and shrugs, saying that it's nothing important. The tone of the other's voice makes everyone frown, and Sakurai notices how Kise falters, as if fearful that he had done something wrong, and then Kise withdraws and Sakurai _knows_—he needs to do something.

* * *

When Aomine is called to the office, he doesn't know why. It's not like he's done anything wrong recently. He's attending classes, his grades are fine, and he hasn't acted up at all. Everything is perfect, actually, especially now since he's started dating Kise officially. Nothing has really changed between them, but that's better than having his feelings rejected.

It gets a bit annoying at times, because he desperately wants to do more than just hold Kise's hand, but if Kise isn't ready for that then Aomine knows he'll just have to suck it up for a bit longer. It's only technically been a week, after all.

Despite the clinginess, Kise is surprisingly reserved with relationships though. He finds out that even though Kise has dated a number of girls, he's never kissed anyone. Jokingly, Aomine had suggested they could fix that, but Kise had laughed and shoved him. Discouraging, but not enough to deter him. It's actually kind of cute, Aomine supposes. Frustrating, because he can only satisfy himself so much, but cute.

The pleasant thoughts he has of Kise are sadly ruined by what awaits him on the other side of the principal's door he's instructed to go through. The American from that university sits casually in a seat, turning to smile at him widely. It makes Aomine grimace slightly, because he had purposefully been ignoring this guy's invitation. Why would he make an appearance like this?

Before anything can be said, Aomine turns to the translator that stands beside the man and blatantly states that he's not interested. Everyone in the room is stunned at his bluntness, but the older blonde man shakes his head and says that the offer will remain standing until the end of December. He's given a folder packed full of information about the university and explained how tuition costs will be paid for in full, should he chose to take advantage of the opportunity. Aomine doesn't ask any questions; he feigns disinterest because this—it's ridiculous. He can't leave Japan to go overseas for school at some private university!

Aomine would be lying if he were to say it didn't sound nice though. Being able to play basketball competitively after high school? It's like a dream. The videos he's shown catch his interest as well, because some of the men he sees are _strong_ and drives shudders up his spine. The American seems to notice this and smirks at him, but he scowls and storms off with packet in hand. Before he goes up to the roof, he's sure to hide the papers in his bag, but everything about the meeting remains fresh in his mind and he just can't stop thinking about it!

So when he snaps at Kise, he feels bad, but he can't apologize and admit to why he's so flustered. They've just gotten together, and Aomine doesn't want to talk about splitting up, not when Kise still needs him. No, he'll just forget about everything for now and continue enjoying the moment.

It's fine.

Regardless, he hides the packet he was provided in his desk instead of throwing it away. There's no way Kise will know or have to worry about it; Aomine will throw it out eventually—for now it's fine simply hidden.

This isn't the way he had planned on starting his relationship with Kise, but better to omit the truth of what's going on than to worry the other, right? Aomine sighs and sits on the side of his bed, staring down at his phone. Not saying anything is just as bad as lying though—should he be honest?

Before he has a chance to think about the matter further, his phone lights up signaling an incoming call from Kise. On the second ring he answers with a tired, 'hey,' that has Kise fussing over him. While the blonde voices his concerns nonstop, Aomine falls back on to his bed, smiling slightly at the care Kise has for him.

"Nothing's wrong, idiot. I'm just tired." Aomine says, staring up at his ceiling.

"You sound more worried than tired. Did something happen?" Kise asks, "Did I do something?"

"Ah!? What would give you that—oh. Shit, sorry." Aomine grumbles, referring to earlier that day on the roof. This is his chance to explain himself, but he finds himself saying instead, "Those office people are just annoying, you know? They lost their copy of my shot record so I have to find it for them to make another copy."

Aomine closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. What the Hell is wrong with him? Hasn't Kise told him that they need to be honest with each other? That hasn't changed just because they've started dating—honesty should be more important now. He sighs; he really should correct himself.

"Really? That's strange." Kise says. "At least it wasn't anything too serious though, right?"

"Actually—"

And he chokes.

"Aominecchi?"

"Sorry. I was going to ask you about physical therapy. How'd it go?" Aomine asks, driving the side of his fist in to his comforter from frustration. For the life of him, he can't get himself to tell Kise the real reason he was called to the office, and how he feels about the whole idea of out of going out of country for college. Why is he being such a fucking bitch about it!?

"No more improvements yet." Kise sighs, and Aomine hears rustling as Kise rolls on to his stomach. "The physical therapist says it may be a few years, but I really want to be at my best by next winter, so that we can play in the Winter Cup together."

"That would be nice." Aomine breathes, mind caught on Kise's mention of 'next winter.' It's a long ways away, nearly an entire eleven months; he has time to think, and he has time to see how things go with Kise. It'll work out. "Ah, hey. I'm supposed to call my parents. I'll call back in a bit."

After saying their goodbyes, Aomine hangs up and spreads his arm across his bed. When he rolls on to his side, he stares at his blue mobile and huffs. Even if he doesn't need to talk with his parents, he figures he can at least talk to them about this university. Maybe they'll be opposed to the idea and make his life easier; they hadn't said much about it the first time he had mentioned it, due to his exhaustion and not wanting to talk. But maybe they'll tell him no?

Of course they don't, because they're his parents and believe he can make his own decisions. He groans a bit at their supportiveness and trust in his choices, and they laugh at his childishness over the situation. 'Being an adult isn't easy, Daiki,' they say, and damn it, if Aomine doesn't already know that.

* * *

"You've been glowing since you've walked in." The stylist says offhandedly while brushing his hair back. Skilled hands pull his hair this way and that whilst the man behind him contemplates what would look best for the given shoot. Briefly, brown eyes look at the model through the mirror. "Did something good happen?"

"Not in particular." Kise says, a bright smile on his face. "I'm happy every day!"

"Is it that boy from before?" The stylist teases, wiggling his brows suggestively. When Kise doesn't respond and instead stares forward with a surprised expression, the man stops and gapes. "Seriously?"

"Keep it a secret?" Kise asks, clapping his hands together and raising them in a pleading gesture.

"Of course. It's not any of my business." The man says, returning his focus to Kise's hair. There's a few tense moments of silence in which Kise texts on his phone and the stylist pulls at blonde hair before curiosity gets the better of the man and he asks, "So you're doing it with him?"

"W-w-what!? N-no!" Kise stutters loudly, almost dropping his phone from how flustered he becomes. The model feels his cheeks color from embarrassment and he slumps in his seat slightly. "I'm not—no. No. We're going out, but we don't do anything like that. We've only held hands once or twice."

"Oh. Poor guy." The stylist murmurs to himself before continuing in a clearer voice, "How long have you two been dating?"

"A week." Kise says with a grin. When he continues, he chuckles, "It's sort of funny though, because it seems like we've been together a lot longer? I guess that's because we still do the same things and act the same way towards each other. It's nice though."

"Uh-huh. And this boy treats you well and makes you happy, right?" The stylist asks with a serious tone, pointing his comb at the mirror so that Kise can see the threatening action. "Kise-chan deserves only the best."

"Aominecchi is much more than I deserve." Kise chuckles contentedly, straightening in his seat when he's motioned to. "Really, he's incredibly thoughtful and sensitive; he may not be perfect, but he makes everything better. I don't know what I would do without him."

"Young love, how sweet." The stylist drones, and Kise laughs when the man goes on to talk about his own romances that he had while still in his youth. On multiple occasions, Kise finds himself laughing at the outlandish recollections, but eventually the conversation returns to him and his boyfriend. The thought still makes Kise giddy—_boyfriend_. Aomine is _his _boyfriend. When his mom walks by though, he stops mid word and keeps his lips firmly pressed together. Although the woman is on her phone and not paying attention in the least, Kise waits until she leaves the room before sighing loudly. In response, his stylist raises a thin brow inquisitively.

"Does your mother not know?" The man asks, and Kise shakes his head. They've already talked about how she doesn't like Aomine much; he doesn't have to remind the other of such an important piece of information. With a heavy sigh, the stylist continues, "If it gets serious, you'll have to tell her eventually."

"I know." Kise murmurs anxiously, amber eyes watching the door his mother had left through warily. "I don't want to cause problems so early on though."

For his efforts and rebellion, Kise is given kudos and a warning to be careful. His stylist informs him that even if they're not that close and have only worked with each other professionally, that he'll be available for someone as attractive as Kise if anything happens. Kise laughs the offer off, but keeps it in mind anyways. Although he has plenty of friends, who knows how crazy his mom will become upon finding out the truth?

A truth she almost discovers when they're driving home and she peers over at the screen of his phone while they're stopped at a light. At first he doesn't notice, but then she asks what it is he's talking about and he looks up in panic. He plays off the situation to the best of his ability; despite her having looked, his mother apparently hadn't seen Aomine's name at the top of the screen. Maybe he should consider changing it? For the sake of his heart, he really should—and he does deftly without any additional thought.

Kise sighs and looks out the window at the passing scenery. Aomine just told him that he'd be going on a jog for a while, so he'll have to wait to talk. He sighs again and his mother looks at him, asking him what's wrong.

"Nothing," He replies in a glum voice and with a one-shouldered shrug.

The response he gives seems to annoy his mother and she snaps, "What's with the tone? You've been like that for a while—whenever you're not on that phone of yours it's like nothing else matters."

"That's not true." Kise says, turning to look at his mother.

"It is. Are you keeping secrets from me, Ryouta?" The woman asks, glaring at him briefly and in a way that dares him to lie. Which he does, of course, because there's no way she can find out about Aomine.

"Of course not, mom." Kise whines, huffing to himself as he discreetly looks at his phone. Just in case, he deletes his conversation with Aomine. He mumbles, "It's impossible to keep a secret when you know everything."

"Give me that." She snaps, not appreciating his attitude. Regardless of the fact she's driving, she reaches over and snatches his mobile away. The car swerves briefly when they fight over it, but his mom ultimately pulls it away and slides it under her leg.

"Mom, that's my _phone_," He complains.

"I'm the one paying for it, Ryouta." She says coldly.

"What about privacy, mom? I'm seventeen!" Kise exclaims.

"You have something to keep private? If I find out it's something bad, Ryouta—"She growls, and Kise clenches his teeth. This isn't _fair._ He's not hiding anything bad! Can she not respect that he's growing up and needs his own space?

"I'm not hiding anything, mom!" Kise seethes, reaching for his phone only to have his hand slapped away.

"If you're not hiding anything, then it shouldn't matter if I have your phone." His mother says, lifting her head slightly and keeping a steady gaze on the road ahead. Kise looks down at where his phone is hidden and bites the inside of his lip. With furrowed brows, he gives up and looks away. She continues, "Honestly, what am I supposed to assume? Whenever you're not on this thing, it's like you lose your supply of air! You become this gloomy and moody teenager and your attitude becomes atrocious and I will _not_ tolerate it anymore, Ryouta. Where did my son go? The bright and enthusiastic boy I've raised?"

He doesn't respond. Instead, he sulks and keeps his head stubbornly turned to the side. When they get to the apartment complex, he refuses his mother's help with getting out of the car. The elevator ride is silent, and when they make it in to their home, Kise goes to his side of the apartment without a word.

What does Kise's mother mean, 'Where did my son go?' Kise is still right here! He hasn't gone _anywhere_. With a heavy sigh, he sits on the edge of his bed and carelessly leans his crutches beside him. He wishes he had his phone. Right now, he really wants to talk to Aomine.

* * *

Even if Imayoshi acts difficult most of the time, that doesn't change the fact that he adores his boyfriend. So when he sees how distraught Sakurai is over Kise, of course he debates on if he should intervene or not. At the moment, the pair sits on his couch, gossiping idly instead of studying like they had earlier planned. From the kitchen, Imayoshi can hear Kise rattle on and on about Aomine—about how happy Aomine makes him, about how Aomine is the best—it's annoying. It's especially frustrating because of the strained smile Sakurai wears.

On occasion, his boyfriend will open his mouth to say something, to bring up in any way how unhealthily obsessed Kise seems to be, but he gets cut off every time by Kise's 'love' fueled ranting. For a few more minutes, he watches with an amused expression, hoping that maybe Sakurai's clutch mode personality will show up. When it doesn't, he sighs disappointedly and makes his way in to the small living area.

"Ah~! If I didn't know any better, I'd say Aomine-kun is the most important thing in your life." Imayoshi chuckles, maneuvering around papers and books until he can sit in a chair situated beside the couch. He watches Kise with a smirk as the boy stares at him with a confused expression. "Actually, I'm not sure I do know any better. I'm actually convinced Aomine-kun is all there is in that life of yours. Well, that you can see, at least."

"I-Imayoshi-san." Sakurai complains, looking at him pleadingly to stop. This is too fun though, and he's spent enough time listening to Sakurai fret over the mental health of the model before him.

"What?" Kise asks, brows furrowing.

"Stopping everything just to talk with him? Skipping out on work to spend time together? Getting in to fights with your mother because Aomine-kun's attention is more important? Forcing your friends to listen non-stop about 'Aominecchi, Aominecchi!'" Imayoshi smirks while spinning words from what Sakurai has told him and from what he's overheard of the pair's conversation over the past hour. Kise seems ready to jump in to defend himself, but Imayoshi continues, "Let's not forget how your mood seems to directly correlate with how close Aomine-kun is to you. Strange, isn't it? That one person has such an affect on you, and can be so much more important than yourself?"

Everything is said with a mocking tone and a sarcastic smile. As expected, it makes Sakurai angry, but more importantly it makes Kise pale. What he says makes Kise _think_, and Imayoshi sits back and watches the comical scene of denial and confusion playing across Kise's handsome features.

"It's—don't listen to him Kise-kun, it's—" Sakurai starts, and Imayoshi almost wants to roll his eyes at his boyfriend's attempt to run away from a situation he had wanted to happen.

"What are you implying?" Kise asks, tone cautious and wavering ever so slightly. It makes the grin Imayoshi wears pull even wider.

"That you've become nothing more than a cripple, both physically and mentally." Imayoshi states, and Sakurai glares at him and calls his name in an angry tone. Even if the other isn't happy, Imayoshi knows these things need to be said, so he continues, "And you've made Aomine-kun your crutch. He fulfills a psychological need that you can't accomplish yourself. Heh, too bad he isn't here to help you out now, hm?"

The last of his statement seems to hurt Kise in the worst of ways. In the boy's expression he can see how Kise tries to deny the accusations, and he can see how Kise struggles to justify his actions. Imayoshi can see the exact moment when Kise begins to realize that he's right—that Kise has done little more than take advantage of Aomine—and he can see when Kise realizes that he's not who he once was. It's painful and mesmerizing, all at once.

So is the slap he receives across his cheek.

"What is _wrong_ with you!?" Sakurai snaps, pulling his hand back quickly and biting his lip. When Imayoshi turns his head back to face the smaller boy, Sakurai shrinks back slightly and fights back an apology, and Imayoshi clicks his tongue before standing and walking past the other to get to his room.

Stupid. This is all so _stupid_. Even if Sakurai had been silently pleading for help, Imayoshi shouldn't have wasted his time and jeopardized his own relationship for the sake of his boyfriend's best friend. Even if it was fun to tear Kise apart, having Sakurai angry with him is the worst.

* * *

"Oh? Don't we know him?" Satsuki asks, head tilting to the side before it turns downwards to focus on puddles that she tries to avoid stepping in.

"Who?" He grumbles tiredly. It's been a long day, and Aomine blames the pink haired girl beside him for that. He doesn't understand why she has to go see a damn gynecologist when she isn't even having sex. She better not be, at least. Just the thought drives a shudder up his spine and makes him itch with anger. There's no way; she's just now getting over Tetsu, and she's not promiscuous like he was only a year earlier.

"Him!" Satsuki says, pointing at a dark haired boy that's a number of yards ahead of them. When Aomine looks, the person does seem familiar. Once they get a bit closer, he recognizes the teen that sits a top a number of stacked boxes with a phone cradled between his ear and shoulder.

Aomine calls, "Hey! Kasamatsu!"

The shorter boy looks in their direction and smiles a bit upon the sight of them. Aomine wouldn't call them friends, but since the whole Kise thing, they've garnered an understanding of one another. Kasamatsu stands and hangs up his phone, and when Aomine asks what the other is doing, Kasamatsu grumpily replies that he's waiting for his new roommate to come down and help him carry his things up before it starts raining again.

"Oh! We're going up now; we'll help you." Satsuki proclaims, and Aomine protests because he's _tired _damn it! Regardless of his grumbling, she jogs over, skipping over puddles left by the earlier rain, and bends down to pick up one of the boxes. She gets as far as straightening before she stands awkwardly still and with trembling arms. In a show of looking tough, she smiles and says, "Let's go! Come on, Dai-chan. You help too."

"I-I can't ask you to carry that." Kasamatsu stutters, face coloring comically as he quickly takes the heavy box out of Satsuki's hold. Or at least, he tries to, but Satsuki protests stubbornly, saying that it's not heavy at all. While Satsuki argues and Kasamatsu tries not to cower in the presence of a girl as pretty as Satsuki, Aomine checks his phone. There's no missed calls or texts; he doesn't mind the silence from his boyfriend for once, but it unnerves him. Hopefully everything is all right.

"Stop flirting and let's go." Aomine calls, picking up two of the five boxes. At his embarrassing comment, Satsuki drops the box and flushes and Kasamatsu stumbles with the surprising distribution of weight. 'Dai-chan!' She calls, but he simply continues walking and leaves them to follow. Behind him he can hear Kasamatsu stuttering that Satsuki doesn't need to help, that he can get the rest himself. She huffs and tells the other that she's not weak and promptly takes the lightest box before launching in to a conversation about basketball—a subject Aomine knows she knows is easy for Kasamatsu to get in to.

When they get to the elevator, he learns that Kasamatsu is moving from the dorms because of cost and because of bad roommates; somehow the rent for the shared apartment was cheaper annually than living on campus. Upon them reaching Imayoshi's apartment, Aomine thinks he understands why. After kicking the door, Aomine turns back to the pair behind him and interjects through Satsuki's animated and admittedly one-sided conversation, "You know who the guy you're rooming with is, right?"

"Ah? Not really—just that his name is Shouichi and that he's a freshman at the university like me." Kasamatsu says, and Satsuki giggles. Grey eyes turn to her before looking down anxiously. It looks like the other wants to ask what's going on, but gets tongue-tied.

"Kasamatsu-san remembers Imayoshi-san, right?" Satsuki asks, tone playful and teasing.

"You're not serious—" Kasamatsu starts, and at that moment the door opens to reveal Sakurai. The power forward admits to himself that having Imayoshi open the door would have been much more funny, but whatever.

"Completely serious." Aomine says, and pushes past the brunette at the door in favor of finding his boyfriend. Kise sits on the couch in the living room, staring blankly at an old worksheet they had completed in class. The blonde looks a bit pale, and doesn't seem to notice him until Aomine calls out. Kise then turns to him with wavering eyes and a strained smile, but before he can ask if something happened, Kasamatsu rounds the corner and the insecurity Aomine had seen is replaced with surprise and glee.

"Senpai?" Kise asks, and Aomine immediately tunes out the rest of the conversation in favor of turning to Sakurai, who cowers behind Momoi. Something obviously happened—it's been a long time since Aomine has had to see Kise's disgustingly fake smile, but it's easy to recognize when lately he's only been on the receiving end of genuine expressions.

"S-study. We should really study, everyone." Sakurai says, returning to his seat on the couch. Momoi agrees, placing down the box she carries before taking a seat in a chair adjacent to the couch. Aomine huffs quietly, figuring he won't be getting any answers like this. If he sits a bit too closely to Kise, no one says anything; a part of him expects Kise to discreetly lean towards him, but the blonde remains still and that makes Aomine's brow furrow.

What happened while he wasn't around?

For the next hour and a half, Momoi teaches them lessons they should have already learned. On multiple occasions, Aomine lulls off to sleep, head dropping against the back of the sofa. His actions always earn him a slap with a stack of papers, which then leads in to an argument between Satsuki and he that takes up a number of minutes. By the time he makes it thirty minutes straight without becoming distracted, Satsuki suggests they take a temporary break and that she'll go make snacks. When she leaves, Sakurai tries to follow, but she shoos him away and he instead goes to Imayoshi's door, which Aomine notices is opened after a long moment to reveal a moderately annoyed looking teen.

"So," Aomine starts, turning so that he can face Kise better. "What happened?"

"What do you mean, Aominecchi?" Kise asks, smiling his fake grin.

"You've looked ill since I've gotten here." Aomine comments, frowning slightly. "And you've been quiet."

"Mn." Kise hums, lowering his head slightly. "I'm really tired today."

"Did you fight with your mom again?" Aomine asks, and Kise nods.

"Yeah." Kise says, and the blonde looks even paler than he had before. When Aomine looks, Kise is tense as well; he doesn't get it. Thin fingers fidget with one another, and amber eyes are glossy with tears, as if simply speaking with him makes Kise feel uneasy.

"What happened?" Aomine asks, a frown tugging at his lips. Kise looks distraught and nauseous. Whatever happened must have been awful, to affect Kise like this. Regardless of his prompting though, Kise won't tell him what's going on. It makes him more worried, because he knows how bothered the model is and Aomine should be able to help, even if it's just by listening to the problem or holding Kise's hand.

"I think I'm going to go home." Kise says, offering him a small smile as he stands and retrieves his crutches.

"I'll walk you." Aomine says, making move to stand.

"_Don't_. I mean—thank you, but I'm fine. Aominecchi should continue studying." Kise says quickly, turning to look at him with a panicked look in his eyes. It temporarily stuns him, and Kise uses the opportunity to sneak past him and out the door. The moment is so surprising that Aomine can't seem to gather his bearings and he simply sits on Imayoshi's couch staring in the direction Kise had left with wide eyes.

"The Hell?" He asks, gritting his teeth as he stands. From the back of the couch he snatches up his jacket and shrugs it on as he moves forward and towards the door. Like he's going to sit around while Kise is obviously tormented over something! His steadfast trek is briefly sidetracked upon seeing Satsuki once again talking with Kasamatsu though. Aomine takes a few steps back and glares; he had been joking with the flirting, so why are they talking?! It's frustrating, but Aomine knows that Kasamatsu isn't the type of guy capable of taking advantage of a girl on the rebound, and he trusts Satsuki enough to handle herself.

"I'm leaving early—to walk Kise home." Aomine says, antsy to leave and follow after the blonde. His eyes trail from Satsuki to Kasamatsu, before settling on the pink haired girl again. "You going to be okay getting home?"

"Oh? Yeah, of course." Satsuki says. "Is everything okay?"

"I'll… talk to you about it later." Aomine says, and then he's hurrying through the door. Kise shouldn't have gotten too far; it's just a matter of where the idiot went. Kise won't go home if he's fighting with his mom, and Sakurai is back at the apartment—Satsuki and his homes aren't available either and_ shit _where did Kise go!? Now that Kasamatsu doesn't live at the dorms, Kise won't go there. Maybe some of the other Kaijō guys? Or Kagami! No—

When he spots a familiar head of blonde rounding a corner, he dashes forward with a call of Kise's name. The weather is awful; dark clouds hang heavy overhead. There are puddles around from an earlier rain; although the skies threaten to continue their earlier actions, Aomine hopes it can wait until Kise and he find shelter.

"Hey!" He calls, jogging up to Kise's side. With how quickly Kise moves, Aomine has to lengthen his strides and occasionally hop forward to keep up. The fake expression of happiness Kise had been wearing earlier isn't present anymore. Instead, the model looks ready to fall apart; Kise's face scrunches up and a plump lower lip is bitten. He calls, "Kise."

"I'm going home, Aominecchi." Kise says, refusing to stop and look at him.

"Will you stop and talk to me for a second? What's wrong?" Aomine snaps.

"I'm fine, I'm going to continue." Kise says, and what the fuck is going on? It's like Kise is trying to avoid him, with the way the blonde shrugs him off and keeps his gaze turned away from him. Aomine can't remember doing anything wrong though.

"What the fuck, Kise!?" Aomine yells, because he's becoming _pissed_. He moves so that he's in front of Kise, blocking the model's way. Kise protests and tries to dart around him, but Aomine moves and forcefully grabs at Kise's shoulders. "I said to talk to me, damn it!"

"I don't want to talk, Aominecchi!" Kise yells back, glaring at him with teary eyes that are quickly closed. With enough strength to surprise him, Kise shoulders past him, succeeding only in making Aomine stumble back a few steps. Growling under his breath, Aomine follows, calling after Kise angrily. At his tone, Kise looks back and cries brokenly, "Leave me _alone_, Aomi—chii!"

The jolt of Kise's crutch slipping on the wet curb makes Kise stumble and fall on to the cement. At the sight, Aomine immediately panics and rushes over, kneeling beside his boyfriend. "Hey, are you okay?" He asks, reaching forward to help the other up. All his anger seems to vanish; Kise's upset—he's only acting this way because he's hurt about something. Aomine getting upset with him won't help matters, so he breathes and tries to calm himself. "Hey," He calls, placing his hand a top the other.

"—me." Kise murmurs.

"What?" Aomine asks, and Kise pushes himself up by his arms and screams at the concrete.

"Don't _touch _me!"

* * *

Apologize—he needs to apologize, but every time he tries to open his mouth, his lips quiver and he has to bite back sobs. Weak. He's so _weak_. And what's worse is that he hadn't even noticed that he had been screwing up. It's just like with Kaijō, and he feels overcome with guilt. Only this time everything feels worse, because this time around, he's completely at fault. This time, Kise hasn't done his best; he's simply succumbed to his own situation and has allowed himself to greedily be spoiled by Aomine. What kind of person does that? What kind of person can take advantage of someone so special to them?

Kise is disgusting. He is absolutely _repulsive_ and he's never hated himself more. He's never been more embarrassed or ashamed. While he had thought everything was perfect, it had been the opposite. Kise had been seeing what he wanted to see. Imayoshi is right—Kise is emotionally dependent on Aomine. It's true that Kise waits anxiously to hear Aomine's voice, and it's true that if given the choice between work, family, or Aomine, he would choose Aomine. Aomine is the only one he thinks about, and Aomine is the one who can dictate his mood. It's because Aomine makes him feel _good_, and while he's always been aware of that, he hadn't noticed how deeply those feelings had gone. Kise realizes that he isn't even his own person anymore, not in the way he once was, and that realization hits him hard.

Before, Kise had been strong, and he wouldn't need Aomine to walk him through things. Before, Kise had his own desires, and he didn't need Aomine's encouragement.

Weak. Pathetic.

What is _wrong _with him?

Kise bites his lip in an attempt to control his crying, but frustrated tears spill out regardless. He sniffles, shakily opening his mouth to speak. No words escape him though, because how is he supposed to apologize for something like this? How is he supposed to apologize for his embarrassing actions? For taking advantage of Aomine? There's no way Aomine will forgive him—Kise doesn't think he can even forgive himself!

"I can—" Kise starts, fingers scraping against the wet asphalt as he clenches his hands in to fists. The pull of rubble beneath his scrapes is painful, but nothing matches the tightness in his chest. He chokes, desperate voice cracking, "I can stand on my own."

Kise _needs _to stand on his own. He needs to do _something_ for himself.

Beside him, Aomine seems to understand. The bluenette reaches forward, bypassing him in favor of picking up his crutches. Kise pushes himself on to his knees, body trembling from cold and too many emotions. For too long Kise has had help with standing, with moving forward. Kasamatsu, his mother, Aomine—Kise doesn't want to be pulled along. Being beside Aomine and not behind him is something Kise has desired for too long, and yet he easily slipped in to the role. Moving forward alongside his boyfriend though, alongside his friends and family instead of being carried like the cripple he currently is—Kise wants that!

Kise wants to feel passion again, and he wants to feel the pressure of wanting to be better. More than anything, he wants to feel desire, and he wants to feel things for himself. Although he hadn't realized his own complacency, he's sick of it now. Kise doesn't want to be that sort of weak person. He doesn't want to tie Aomine or anyone else down with matters that he can handle on his own. Kise is proud—he doesn't want to be pathetic!

And he sobs.

"Sorry,"

And he sobs again, body shaking and lungs burning.

"I'm really sorry."

His mother was right, Kise has changed. Sakurai was right, Kise wasn't doing things on his own. Imayoshi was right, Kise has been using Aomine as a crutch. They were all right, and Kise had ignored them in favor of living in ignorance and denial. How had Aomine not noticed? How did Aomine not say anything? Kise doesn't blame Aomine for anything, but had the other even realized what Kise was doing? Had Aomine been okay with his selfish behavior?

"Come on," Aomine says, and when Kise looks up at the other with bloodshot eyes, he can see how much the other struggles to not offer a hand. This is what Kise needs though—he needs to be strong on his own. The psychological need that Imayoshi had been talking about is this, Kise thinks. Because Kise can't walk, he uses Aomine to walk for him. Because Kise isn't confident, he feeds off of Aomine's confidence, and the confidence the other gives him. Because Kise feels so damn _weak_, he wants Aomine's strong presence beside him.

Lowering his head, he nods and puts all of his weight on to right side before using his hands to guide him up. It's awkward and challenging, and he almost falls, but he steadies himself and straightens. Physically, he's stood on his own, but Kise still feels crippled. Aomine offers him his crutches though, and guides the both of them beneath an overhang as a drizzle starts. They need to talk; Kise needs to find his footing with Aomine, and more importantly, with himself. So they talk, and they speak honestly. Kise curls in on himself as he mentions the things people have been telling him. Although Aomine looks like he wants to protest at times, the power forward manages to keep himself silent. It's a tense and awkward conversation, full of apologies on Kise's part because he hadn't _meant _to and doesn't _want _to be reliant like that, and because he genuinely _likes_ Aomine and wants to be the boyfriend Aomine deserves. Aomine too apologizes, mumbling how he didn't even realize everything was the case.

"If you want me to back off, I will." Aomine says, voice soft. Residue water drips from the bluenette's hair, and Kise notices how the other shudders at the feeling of the cold.

"No!" Kise protests, amber eyes widening in panic. He shakes his head, turning from where he sits on the ground to face Aomine, who sits beside him. Anxiety is what he mainly feels, because while he doesn't want to have to rely on Aomine, he still wants him. He continues, lowering his gaze and trying to ignore how water catches at his lashes or rolls down his neck, "I don't… I don't want that. I want to do things for myself, because I'm not—"

Weak.

Pathetic.

He's _not_.

And Aomine looks at him with a small smile and a fond look, because the other already knows. Such a tender look makes Kise look away, a flustered blush spreading across his cold body and heating him immediately. From there, they go back to waiting for the rain. The storm isn't harsh, but the rain still comes down heavy. Kise mentions past times, of basketball and one-on-ones and popsicles. They laugh over shared stories, and grimace at memories of conditioning to the point of vomiting. They talk about their childhood, and growing up—how things used to be so much simpler, and only seem to get more complicated with the passing years.

"I'm sorry, again." Kise mentions again, once a lull appears in their conversation, and Aomine looks at him. In response to the attention, Kise feels an urge to look away, still shameful for his actions, but instead he looks in to Aomine's eyes. They're not angry or disappointed, just endlessly blue. Briefly, they flick down to look at his lips, but before anything can happen, Kise turns to bury his face in his knees as he sneezes.

Beside him, Aomine rolls his eyes and reaches around Kise's shoulders to pull the blonde in to a hug. It's uncomfortable, because of their position, but Kise loves it. Full lips pull in to a smile and he turns, maneuvering himself until he can hug Aomine more tightly. "You'll be okay," Aomine murmurs against the sound of the rain, and Kise knows he will be.

* * *

_**A/N: **__Uhm. There we have it, guys. ;u; I'm so terribly frightened, hahaha. Anyways, the answers to the questions in my author's note at the start is: Aomine. Everything had become about Aomine. Hopefully I handled the situation and Kise's feelings well with this issue. A while back, I had realized Kise was becoming emotionally dependent on Aomine, and I wanted to highlight that. Relationships should have a mutual level of give and take, and all that's been present is a whole lot of giver!Aomine and taker!Kise. So… yes. Kise will be taking steps on his own again, as we all know him capable of doing—and beside him will be Aomine, and they'll be holding hands while they figure things out together, instead of Aomine blindly leading the way himself and taking the brunt of what the world throws at them._

_Thank you for reading, everyone! Although this chapter was on the heavier side, I hope that it was still enjoyable. If you have the time, please review and tell me your thoughts! What you guys say definitely guides me with future chapters, hahaha! 'Til next time, everyone~!_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Title: **__Just Breathe (17/?)  
__**Rating: **__M  
__**Pairings: **__Aokise, KagaKuro, ImaSaku  
__**Warnings: **__Unbeta'd, OOCness, cultural inaccuracies  
__**Word Count:**__ 9400 approx.  
__**Summary: **__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time.  
__**A/N: **__Thank you so much for the support/encouragement with this fic, everyone. I really, truly appreciate every reader for taking the time to read my work. As for reviewers—just endless thanks, and I am so very sorry that I haven't been able to respond to your lovely comments. ;A; Know that I read every review with the utmost reverence though; every comment is very important to me, so yes. Thank you so much. ;U; The last chapter was a bit dramatic, but this chapter makes up for it with excessive amounts of sweetness. Literally Aokise everywhere. ;) Please enjoy!_

* * *

When Kise and he sit and talk in the rain, Aomine feels a lot of things. Concern, frustration, confusion, anger—everything is a blur. At one point, he wants to hold Kise close, and then the next he wants to leave to punch that bastard Imayoshi for saying such obnoxious things. In the end though, Aomine stays, and more than anything, Aomine feels proud. He's proud because even though Kise looks a wreck and feels awful, the blonde is showing the strength that Aomine adores. Kise shows Aomine determination, and courageousness, and a desire to be better in the same way Aomine strives to be better for Kise. Aomine is lucky, and for the life of him can't understand how Kise feels as if he's taken advantage of the bluenette—not after Kise has given him so much.

A part of him _can_ understand though. Aomine can imagine being in Kise's situation, and having to rely on others. It's not like either of them. They're both strong, and they're both prideful fools; people like them don't want a handicap. Because Aomine understands this, he lets Kise do what he wants. Aomine can reassure Kise every minute of the day about Kise having done nothing wrong, about Kise being good enough, about Kise being just as resilient as the idiot was in the past. Aomine can bay Kise's insecurities easily, but Aomine isn't so arrogant as to believe that he can fight them away forever. No, he knows that such a thing is Kise's fight, and all that he can do for the other is patiently wait for Kise to _win_.

Because Kise doesn't lose.

Because Kise will keep getting up until he stands on top.

Aomine knows such a thing better than anyone, so when he says that Kise will be okay, there's no doubt in his mind. It may take a while, but Aomine has learned a lot through his experiences with the blonde. Contrary to the idiot's beliefs, Kise _has_ given Aomine a lot. The ability to be patient and thoughtful, caring and honest to certain extents—while it had all been for Kise, it had all been because of Kise as well. So Aomine will wait, and with each passing day his feelings will continue to grow as he watches his boyfriend become more confident. Aomine had once said that he wouldn't mind taking care of the person he likes if the need were to arise, and although he still stands by his words, life becomes more pleasant when Kise doesn't need that support, because Kise is _happier_.

So three weeks pass, and Kise is as chipper as Aomine has always remembered the other being. Kise talks to everyone now, instead of just Aomine, and while the idiot will smile at those around, there's a special smile reserved only for the bluenette. It's a subtle change that happens over time, but instead of there being 'Aomine', it's 'them'. Somehow, with all of Kise's persistence and perseverance, the blonde stands beside him, and even if they move slower, it's a great feeling to have Kise hobbling beside him.

It would be an even greater feeling to have Kise _under_ him, but Aomine digresses. It's only been a month since they've gotten together, after all. If Aomine can't even get a kiss out of the other, he doubts he'll be able to sleep with the teen that sits across from him any time soon. Some action would be nice though, Aomine thinks to himself as he bumps Kise's foot with his own. Of course there's no action to reciprocate his own, but Aomine notes Kise's surprised expression with a smirk as he continues a leisurely game of one-sided footsies with the model.

"Do you want to do anything after this?" Aomine asks, referring to the restaurant they sit in for brunch. Their one-month anniversary had passed earlier in the week, but this was the only day they could get together in commemoration of it. At least, Aomine thinks this is a date to celebrate the measly achievement. As he takes a bite of his meal, his brows furrow at the thought of him being the only one to remember something as trivial as an anniversary. Kise hasn't said anything though, although in the blonde's defense, neither has Aomine.

As he chews, Aomine watches Kise. The various expressions that cross over the model's face make Aomine bite back a smirk; he loves how Kise is so animated. At first Kise seems to brighten at the suggestion, then brows pull inward as Kise remembers something or another, before lips purse in contemplation, which ultimately leads to Kise sighing loudly and poking at his meal despondently. Kise whines, "I really want to, but I promised Sakurai-kun we could hang out. He's going to be teaching me something really important today."

It's not that Aomine minds Kise going to spend time with Sakurai, but what the fuck could 'something really important' be? With Aomine's sexually frustrated mind where it is, he can only think of sexual possibilities and no—that's going to be his. Aomine is being patient and waiting for Kise and _he _wants to be the rest of Kise's firsts, damn it.

"What's this important something?" He asks skeptically.

"Se-cret!" Kise sings, offering Aomine a warm smile that eases all of his concerns. Whatever the two boys will be doing will probably have to deal with food. What the Hell is Aomine getting himself worked up over? As if their quiet friend would steal Kise away from him. While Aomine breathes an inward sigh of relief, Kise's mood shifts and the blonde fidgets anxiously with the chopsticks in his hand. The small forward says, "I'm really sorry though. I'd really like to spend the day with Aominecchi."

"Ah. I'll forgive you this time. Next time you're mine though, got it?" Aomine asks, and Kise smiles at his dismissal of the matter. It's not like there aren't other days; he probably monopolizes Kise enough anyways, so it's good that the other spends time with different people. As he brushes his foot against Kise's once more in an attempt to draw a reaction from the boy, Aomine decides that yes—not being around each other may be good for him today, considering he really just wants to ravish Kise senseless at the moment. It's those damn rosy lips; they've been taunting Aomine for _weeks _and Aomine desperately wants to feel them pressed against his own.

"Of course." Kise beams, and they continue eating over light conversation. Although it's been a month, Aomine has yet to mention the university in America. This would be the perfect opportunity to do so, but Aomine still feels hesitant. It's no longer because Kise may not be ready to hear the news, but because Aomine can't forget the blonde's reaction when those scouts had first approached him. Causing Kise to make that kind of expression again—Aomine can't do it. The bluenette supposes it may be okay though; it's not like he's decided on if he wants to go or not. It would be nice to talk to Kise though. Whether to be told that he shouldn't go, or be reassured to chase after something he loves, Aomine isn't sure. He really just wants to know how Kise would feel; it would make his decision that much easier.

"Hey—" They both start simultaneously, each stopping immediately at the sound of the other's voice.

"Ah, you first." Aomine says, looking away as he scratches the back of his neck anxiously. After Kise finishes, Aomine will say it. He'll stop procrastinating the inevitable, the bluenette definitely will.

"Oh? Are you sure?" Kise asks, but grins and continues anyways. Whatever Kise has planned has the blonde excited, for Kise seems to bounce in his seat while shifting to retrieve something from the pocket of his coat. Once Kise has a hold of whatever he had reached for, the model looks at him with an embarrassed and self-conscious expression while chuckling, "I wasn't sure what was appropriate, but… it's been a month and I wanted to get you something."

Ah. So Kise _did_ remember.

With a forced back grin, Aomine says, "I got you something too."

Even though they both admit to having gotten each other a present, neither of them makes a move to give it to the other. Aomine realizes that this is somehow _really_ embarrassing. He coughs and reaches in to his own pocket, plopping a small bag on to the table before slumping down in his seat to hide himself from sight. For the first time, he curses his size, because it's impossible to disappear and hide the flush that spreads across his face.

"It's nothing big, mind you." Aomine grunts.

"That's—" Kise starts, staring at the bag in surprise before suddenly the model begins laughing. At the reaction, Aomine scowls and huffs that he'll take the damn thing back, but Kise shakes his head before placing a matching bag a top the table. For a moment, Aomine stares at the familiar looking brown bag before snickering.

"Aominecchi must have gotten me something cute as well." Kise says, smiling brightly as he picks up his gift. Amber eyes turn to look at Aomine before Kise asks, "Is it okay to open it now?"

"Idiot. What kind of guy would want something cute?" Aomine grumbles, picking up whatever Kise had bought him. Through the wrapping, he can already tell that it's a charm of some sort—exactly what he had gotten for Kise. Even though Kise has the decency to ask if it's okay to open now, Aomine doesn't and rips the bag in his hands open without reservations. When he shifts the bag to deposit its contents in to his palm, Aomine adds, "Go ahead."

What falls in to his hand upon tipping the bag is a small cellphone charm. Although Aomine doesn't particularly like this sort of thing, he doesn't find himself feeling annoyed. In fact, he's happy, because it's blue and it's a crayfish, and most importantly because it's from Kise. Satsuki and Kagami will definitely tease him about carrying around something like this, but he smirks and pulls out his phone to fasten the strap to it anyways.

"Pft!" Kise starts, turning his head downward and hiding the lower half of his face behind his hand. One of Aomine's brows raise in inquiry to the reaction, and when Kise is able to control himself, the model looks up and says through a chuckle, "It's really cute, but so out of character for Aominecchi."

"Why the Hell did you get it then?" Aomine grumbles. Out of character or not, Aomine will still carry the damn thing with him since it was Kise that bought it for him.

"Because I knew Aominecchi would get mad if I bought him something expensive." Kise complains with a pout as he picks at the tape of Aomine's gift. The sulking expression quickly vanishes as the blonde sheepishly admits, "Not that I didn't buy you something that was probably overpriced anyways, but…"

"Idiot!" Aomine growls, leaning back in his seat. "Don't waste your money on me."

"Buying you something wouldn't be a waste of money." Kise says in defense, leaning back in his own chair while continuing to struggle with the tape. While blue eyes watch the model's fingers, Aomine inwardly sighs and wonders why Kise doesn't just rip the bag instead of trying to be careful and preserve packaging that will surely be recycled in the future. Kise continues with a wide smile, "It was something I liked too, so in the end we'd both be getting something from it."

Aomine knows that Kise is talking about clothes, which the bluenette has plenty of already thanks to Satsuki's numerous shopping excursions that he's been dragged to, but he can't help his mind from going to darker places. Both of them getting something from it? How about both of them just simply getting some? 'Some' as in sex, or a hand job, Hell—even a fucking kiss would be great. Physical contact. Is that not something Kise would enjoy also? Aomine sure would, which would explain his persistent battle to get Kise to play footsies with him beneath the table.

"You're too damn slow; open it already!" Aomine huffs impatiently whilst he lifts his foot slightly, pushing up Kise's pant leg in response and rubbing affectionately against the model's ankle. The bluenette puts one of his elbows a top the table and rests his chin in the palm of his hand. When Kise doesn't respond to either of his actions, Aomine frowns and tilts his head slightly before asking, "Kise?"

"Is… Has Aominecchi been playing with my foot?" Kise asks quietly, looking at him with drawn brows and an expression that's so utterly confused that Aomine can't even make fun of the other for being so oblivious. Instead, Aomine smirks lewdly; although the power forward had expected the blonde to blush, Kise instead makes an odd expression that causes Aomine to withdraw unsurely. While it looks like the model is about to cry, the idiot looks happy as well. What's up with that? Before he can apologize for possibly making the other uncomfortable, Kise smiles elatedly at him, "Do it again!"

"Ah?" He asks, because when Kise says it so demandingly, it suddenly feels awkward. Regardless, Aomine moves his foot forward beneath the table to brush against the outer side of Kise's foot. At the feeling, Kise gasps, and looks at Aomine with a thrilled appearance. Confusedly, Aomine asks, "What's up?"

"My foot." Kise breathes; the small smile on the model's face slowly blooming in to something wobbly and relieved that Kise tries to contain by biting a full lower lip.

"What about—" Aomine starts, eyes widening when he realizes that he had been messing with Kise's _left _foot. The power forward opens his mouth to ask if Kise is serious, but he can't seem to find the words. Even if this isn't his foot that has regained feeling, Aomine can feel his heart thudding strongly against his chest and the breath that catches in his throat from the torrent of emotions that run through him. With another failed attempt at trying to form a sentence, Aomine gives up and instead leans his body until he can peer beneath the table at Kise's boot-clad foot.

"Ah, I can't move it, Aominecchi." Kise says, and the model chuckles to hide the disappointment in his voice. Slowly, Aomine raises his head and sees Kise's strained smile; it causes the bluenette to frown slightly before Aomine purposefully squeezes Kise's one foot between the both of his. Even if Kise can't move his foot yet, at least the other can feel. It's progress.

"It'll get there. Don't be impatient." Aomine says, even if he feels slightly restless himself. He can tell how badly his boyfriend wants to be able to walk again—of course Aomine would want Kise to be able to do that as quickly as possible. Having Kise be happy is all that Aomine wants in regards to the other, after all. Aomine holds Kise's one foot between his own more tightly and looks in to Kise's eyes.

"Aominecchi's impatience must have been transferred to me." Kise says after a moment, and Aomine scoffs loudly in response.

"You've always been impatient, you overzealous idiot! Don't go blaming me." Aomine huffs while waving his hand noncommittally. Across from him, Kise laughs and seems to relax considerably; it relieves the bluenette that the other seems to take the matter in stride, but just in case, Aomine adds, "Even if you can't move just yet, you can still feel. That's a start."

"Yeah." Kise agrees, smile softening. As he watches the blonde, who returns to opening his gift, Aomine notices a soft flush begin to spread across the model's cheeks. Before Aomine can ask if anything is wrong, a foot pokes against his that is quickly moved away. The blonde's lips purse slightly and amber eyes glance at him discreetly before turning back down to peeling away tape, but Aomine sees it and inwardly beams because _finally _their flirting isn't being limited to words. He returns to his earlier position of resting his chin in his palm before Aomine has his foot chase Kise's own beneath the table. When the power forward's shoe bumps against the model's boot, Kise's eyes widen and long fingers twitch and rip the bag Aomine has been watching the other fumble with. There's a quiet groan, but it's quickly replaced by stunned silence and excited chatter over what falls out of the bag.

When they leave and Kise calls his psychotic mother to inform her of the new development, Aomine barely registers the sound of an exuberant mom and her son. All Aomine notices is the earphone jack that sticks out of Kise's phone with a pink popsicle that dangles from a thin strap. After their earlier talk about old times, Aomine couldn't forget the memories of the numerous popsicles he had stolen from Kise, and Kise alone. It's something special between them, and when Kise ends the call with his mother, amber eyes look at the accessory fondly and with a gentle smile.

It's a thing between them, and Aomine can't wait to make more memories like that.

* * *

A lot seems to happen over the course of three weeks. It starts with Imayoshi, and making up after their fight over Kise. They spend a number of days arguing and talking, and even when Sakurai tries to apologize to end the matter so that they can be okay again, Imayoshi refuses. It makes him antsy whenever Imayoshi stubbornly drags out fights; it ends up causing Sakurai such distress that he can't even sleep! In the end though, Sakurai knows Imayoshi does this painful thing for Sakurai's sake—because Imayoshi doesn't want to oppress and take advantage of him all the time, and wants their relationship to be healthy and mutual. Although it's probably not there yet, Sakurai feels that they're both slowly approaching that point. Imayoshi definitely isn't as much of an ass as when they first started dating, and Sakurai would like to think he doesn't apologize as much.

In the end, Sakurai supposes their fighting is worth it, although he'd still rather avoid it. The more pleasurable activities that ensue after their arguing is _good_. So is the fact that they become stronger as a couple and as individuals, but Sakurai is a boy, and make up sex seriously feels nice.

Aside from his business with Imayoshi, Sakurai begins mediating fights between his boyfriend and said boyfriend's new roommate, Kasamatsu. The arguments are always over little things, usually purposefully caused by Imayoshi just to make Kasamatsu angry. As the days pass, Sakurai begins to think that the pair has a good relationship though, and that fighting is actually fun for them. When Sakurai sits back to watch one day, it quickly gets out of hand and ends with him slipping on the floor he had earlier cleaned while rushing to placate the escalating conflict.

More important than those struggles and feats though, is Kise. After what had happened, Sakurai hadn't expected to hear from his friend for a number of days, but on that first day back to school, Kise sat with him at lunch and they talked. They talked about what had happened, and instead of apologizing, Sakurai had been apologized to before being given a bento filled with all the things the brunette would munch on while teaching Kise how to prepare certain meals. It's a sweet gesture, and Sakurai accepts the apology without another word. From there they talk about other things; because Sakurai realizes how difficult it must be for Kise to stray from Aomine so suddenly, he pushes himself to keep conversation constant and about things that they enjoy, and that Kise can talk about passionately without having to think of the power forward. Even if it's a struggle at first, it gets better. Kise starts to smile more honestly, and begins engaging himself in the conversations of their classmates. It's a slow process, but Kise starts to look happier, like Sakurai had always imagined the blonde being before the other had gotten injured.

Whenever Sakurai visits Imayoshi and sees Kasamatsu, they speak to each other about the model, and how Kasamatsu has started taking Kise out to do things more along with some of the Kaijō boys, on occasion. The older boy admits to having overheard everything from the various arguments Imayoshi and Sakurai had, and expresses how he never realized how hard the situation had been on Kise, and that even if he's been forgiven, he still wants to help Kise in any way. That admission makes Sakurai smile, because he's genuinely glad that Kise has such a caring upperclassman and friend.

What makes him even happier though, is Kise's own efforts. It's truly because Kise wanted to change, that everything worked out as well as it did. Sakurai is proud of his friend, and every day he admires just how hard working the blonde is, and how funny and exuberant the model can be when not waiting for Aomine to give him air to breathe.

Just the thought of the bluenette makes Sakurai smile softly. Aomine has seriously grown in to a respectable person, over the course of a year. The power forward gives Kise the space the blonde needs, and in return Aomine's relationship with Kise somehow becomes stronger. It's a mysterious thing, but both boys seem even happier than before. There's a special expression Kise reserves only for Aomine, and Sakurai wonders if he has ever given Imayoshi such a tender look.

In Kise's smile and squinted eyes is happiness, thankfulness, and so much love that sometimes Sakurai temporarily forgets what air is. It's a sweet look, and it's there because Aomine understands Kise, knows that the blonde needs to not be stifled, even if Kise is the one stifling himself. Aomine knows these things, and Kise knows Aomine as well—so when they're on the roof one day and Aomine shows up after a week of being scarce, Sakurai notices how tense the bluenette is, and Kise does as well and promptly reaches up and grabs Aomine's hand with a bright smile. The look of relief on Aomine's face is almost painful, but it turns out okay. They spend the rest of their lunch listening to Aomine complain about Momoi's friends, and how he had been given too many numbers to pass on to Kise that simply went in to the trash bin.

A part of Sakurai expects things to revert to how they were when Aomine and Kise begin spending time together again, but it doesn't. Over the next couple weeks, everything remains great, and Sakurai is relieved for his friends that they were able to work things out so well. With such headstrong boys though, maybe it was never something to be concerned about.

"—and then I put how much cocoa powder with the butter?"

Sakurai snaps out of his thoughts, turning to look at Kise who stands at the counter with a tablespoon ready to be dipped in to a container of cocoa powder. Amber eyes watch him, and when Kise realizes that Sakurai had spaced out, the blonde grins. Kise says, "Are you excited for Valentine's Day, Sakurai-kun?"

"S-sorry!" Sakurai stutters, face flushing in embarrassment as he shuffles closer to Kise so that he can inspect the bowl. "For this, you'll need a cup's worth, and um… yes. Imayoshi-san and I are going to have dinner at his apartment."

"That sounds nice." Kise says with a bright smile, before they get in to a conversation of what Imayoshi and he are going to eat, and how Sakurai doesn't know yet but would like to make it a tradition for his boyfriend and him to make meals together on Valentine's Day. It's a silly desire of his, but it's enjoyable watching Imayoshi cook; when he admits this, Kise offers him a wide smile that causes Sakurai to laugh embarrassedly and turn away.

In the middle of their conversation about a manga that Sakurai is working on, while Kise sifts flour and sugar together and Sakurai minds the cocoa mixture, Kise blurts out an apology. Although seemingly random, Sakurai chuckles and shakes his head, because this has happened before.

"Kise-kun knows that Imayoshi and I aren't fighting anymore." Sakurai says, attempting to ease the other's concerns.

"I know, but I still feel awful for causing you two to fight in the first place." Kise says, eyes trained at the task at hand although Sakurai knows the model's mind is elsewhere.

"It wasn't Kise-kun's fault at all." Sakurai says, motioning for Kise to switch places with him and stir the hot cocoa mixture as Sakurai takes to tapping the flour and sugar in to it. The brunette looks at Kise and smiles, "We fought about Imayoshi-san's insensitivity, and then me being too soft. We were bound to argue about it sooner or later. Imayoshi-san and I are okay though, so please don't worry."

Even though Kise looks reluctant, the blonde smiles hesitantly before changing the subject to Kasamatsu and the numerous stories the latter has involving Imayoshi already. They both laugh over the majority of the incidents, and Sakurai mentions how pranks are becoming a new thing in the apartment. Somehow, the brunette always ends up being the one pranked, but it shows each of the boys' playful sides and comforts Sakurai that the supposed 'hatred' the both of them feel is little more than a simple case of annoyance.

"Kasamatsu-san is always nice enough to clue me in on everything… but Imayoshi-san I think likes pranking me just as much." Sakurai sighs. "Hopefully nothing comes up on Valentines."

"You could always put wasabi in some of the chocolates and leave them around for both of those guys to eat." Kise snickers, tipping the bowl containing the chocolate to pour in to sheets for them to set. The sweet treat smells good, but makes Kise ponder. "What kind of chocolate does Imayoshi-san like, anyways?"

"Knowing my luck, I would end up being the one to eat those." Sakurai starts with a sigh, before a look of confusion spreads across his face. "Why would you want to know about Imayoshi-san's favorite type?"

"I'm not sure if Aominecchi would like bitter chocolate or sweet chocolate." Kise chuckles sheepishly. "He doesn't eat much junk food anymore."

"Oh, that's right. Aomine-kun has become more serious since our first year; it's amazing he's dedicated enough to change his diet." Sakurai hums, pausing in order to think. He lifts his hand to cover his mouth and chuckles, sending Kise a playful, sidelong glance and a teasing smile, "A sweet, white chocolate may be a nice treat."

"Really? Aominecchi always seemed like a dark chocolate person to—oh."

And Kise stares at him with wide eyes and a quickly reddening face upon catching on to Sakurai's perverse joke. Full lips open and close as if to form words, but all that is expressed is Kise's embarrassment through the form of a deep red blush. Brown eyes widen at the reaction before Sakurai flushes as well and begins stuttering apologies. He had no idea Kise would be shy about dirty jokes! Especially considering whom the blonde is dating! Oh no, oh no, oh no!

"I am _so _sorry!" Sakurai exclaims. "I had thought—"

"N-no, no. There's nothing for Sakurai-kun to apologize for." Kise says in a flustered voice, placing the bowl he had been holding down on the counter. Out of embarrassment, the blonde refuses to look back at Sakurai, instead choosing to focus on the sheet of chocolate before them. The brunette makes note that even Kise's ears are red, and becomes increasingly more puzzled. This is Kise—gorgeous and talented model, and the center of many girls' dreams. Why would someone like that be shy over a joke alluding to sex? Even if Kise hasn't done it all the way yet, surely the other has experienced something?

"Aominecchi and I haven't even kissed yet." Kise starts, and it becomes Sakurai's turn to stare at the other with eyes wide from surprise.

"Really?" Sakurai asks, and beside him Kise scratches the back of his neck sheepishly before tugging at blonde hair.

"Is that strange?" Kise asks, tone a bit anxious and eyes showing apprehension.

"No." Sakurai responds. Even if after a month Imayoshi and he had shared plenty of kisses, that doesn't mean that Kise should have to do the same. The brunette continues, offering his friend a soft and comforting smile, "If you're not ready, then you're not ready."

"Mn." Kise hums before sighing and leaning heavily against the counter. "Maybe I should be though? It's not like I don't want my first kiss to be with Aominecchi—"

The sheet that holds the cooling chocolate clatters back to the counter from where Sakurai had picked it up. Beside him, Kise scrambles over what could have been a disaster and waste to their hard work, but Sakurai only watches Kise in shock, not even hearing how the blonde asks if everything is alright. When Sakurai finds his voice, he stutters, "W-what?"

"Eh?" Kise asks. "I asked if you were okay? Did something happen?"

"No, before that." Sakurai prompts.

"Oh. About Aominecchi being my first kiss." Kise says with a shy quirk of the lips, and Sakurai has to lean against the counter top for purchase because he would have never guessed that _Kise Ryouta_ had never been kissed. The blonde continues with an awkward, pitchy laugh, "I really want it to be with Aominecchi, and I don't think Aominecchi would mind. Nerves somehow get the best of me though."

Suddenly the manga Sakurai is working on isn't good enough—not with all this new inspiration. He has to remind himself to focus though, because he's still in the middle of a conversation with Kise and it would be rude to excuse himself to start drawing the various scenarios that run through his head. To cover up his scandalous thoughts, Sakurai offers Kise a small smile while picking up the sheets of chocolate to place in the refrigerator to sit. "Have you told Aomine-kun?"

"Of course not. It's embarrassing." Kise pouts, turning so that his back leans against the counter before the blonde crosses his arms over his chest.

"I think Aomine-kun would find it very cute." Sakurai says, closing the fridge door.

"Aominecchi would become more persistent." Kise laughs.

"That may be true, but you know Aomine-kun would never do anything to hurt you or make you uncomfortable." Sakurai says encouragingly in an attempt to bay whatever reservation Kise may have about the matter.

"Yeah, of course." Kise murmurs thoughtfully. Instead of continuing the conversation though, Kise grins at him sheepishly and innocently asks, "So I guess Sakurai-kun has already had his first kiss, right?"

"A-Ah, yeah!" Sakurai chuckles, suddenly feeling an unknown pressure because he's in the presence of someone that's almost blindingly pure; Sakurai is going to taint that. Where is Aomine? This is Aomine's job!

* * *

"Could you believe their teamwork? It was almost as bad as yours!" Kagami complains, glaring forward at nothing in particular as they jog. The air around them has a biting chill to it that leaves their exposed skin stinging, but Aomine doesn't mind. The power forward beside him had called him out of the blue with a request to go for a run; Aomine knows Kagami has a reason for inviting him along, and bides his time waiting for the idiot to get to the point. Kagami deals with listening to Aomine's crap, so Aomine can do the same for the other. He just wishes Kagami would get to the _point _instead of rambling about the game from Saturday night.

"Shut up, Bakagami. It's not like the way I play is detrimental to the team, unlike those other guys. Professionals my ass." Aomine grumbles, rounding a corner that leads to another long straight for them to run down.

"Who are you calling Bakagami, Ahomine!?" Kagami growls with no real malice. "Even if the way you play works out in the end, wouldn't you be better if you shared the ball and trusted your teammates a bit more?"

"If I can do it myself, why rely on others?" Aomine scoffs.

"What if Kise were able to play. Would you pass to him?" Kagami retorts, and the question makes Aomine pause and consider. Would he pass the ball to Kise? It's not in his style of play, but it's not like he wouldn't trust Kise's abilities. In fact, they'd be terrifyingly formidable if they were to work together. The idea of playing alongside Kise is as nice as it is painful though and makes him frown deeply. Instead of answering, Aomine says, "He can't play right now, so it doesn't matter."

"What about later?" Kagami asks, and Aomine inwardly grumbles about how this is becoming a conversation about him instead of Kagami.

The bluenette sighs and glowers. If the idiot beside him is trying to make a point about how Aomine could improve with the help of others, then the moron needs to stop. Aomine already knows. His playing with others would be a surprise to everyone, and it would give him more options in a match. Relying on others though—it isn't a pleasant thought, because relying on others leaves him antsy, and it increases the possibility of losing. Losing _sucks_. But with Kise… maybe relying on Kise wouldn't be too bad.

Blue eyes narrow and look to Kagami with annoyance upon the realization coming to him. It's obvious that Kagami is expecting a certain answer; the bluenette doesn't know why it matters, but he figures it's because they're rivals and Kagami wants Aomine to be the best that he can be.

"Yes." Aomine says simply, and Kagami beams.

"Can't wait to see that day." The red head says, and the bluenette immediately recognizes the excited smirk the other wears—it's the one that Kagami always wears when he's eager for a new challenge. In turn, Aomine smirks as well.

Before the moron has a chance to continue the conversation, Aomine intervenes and says, "If you think turning the conversation to me will make me forget that _you _were the one to call me out, then you're wrong, Bakagami."

"Geh." Kagami sputters, briefly choking on air and looking entirely guilty.

"So? Hurry up and spit it out." Aomine grumbles, sending the other a sidelong glare.

"I changed my mind." Kagami starts and Aomine rams in to him for trying to drop the subject. The red head growls and barks at him to cut it out, which ends in Aomine taunting the other and them competing to get to the park that's a mile behind them. By the time they get there, they're each keeled over and gasping for air. The burn Aomine feels in his lungs isn't a bad thing, but it's not pleasant—he blames Kagami for his problems.

"Hey. Get me water, bastard." Aomine pants.

"Get it yourself, jackass." Kagami wheezes.

The bench Aomine falls in to is cold, and feels nice on his overheated skin. When he takes a deep breath to steady his heart, it quickly comes out as a pained rasp as Kagami sits on the bluenette's abdomen. "Get the _fuck _off of me!" Aomine complains, shifting to try to toss the other off the bench. Regardless of his efforts, Kagami refuses to move and Aomine temporarily resigns himself until he can catch his breath and throttle the moron properly.

The air around them is quiet; the sound of buzzing from the nearby light is constant and helps to relax him along with the sounds of nature around them. When blue eyes look up, the sky is still overcast and Aomine wonders what the time could be. A top him, Kagami looks pensive and worried. Although the bluenette knows he could prompt Kagami to speed up the process, he stays quiet and waits.

"I said something that upset Kuroko." Kagami mutters quietly.

"Eh? Is that even possible?" Aomine asks, and shifts again so that they can sit normally. Once they situate themselves, Aomine starts again, "Tetsu doesn't usually get upset over anything."

"Ah. I was being insensitive, probably." Kagami mumbles, then sighs as he slumps down the wooden bench until he is able to rest his neck against the back of the bench. "Maybe it's because I've been spending too much time with you."

"Don't blame me for your fuck ups." Aomine grunts, turning his head slightly to look down at his friend. When Kagami only responds with a grunt of his own, Aomine furrows his brows and frowns. "What did you say to Tetsu?"

"I don't know. Something about him being small and how he shouldn't get himself in to dangerous situations when I'm not around to protect him." Kagami says.

For a moment, Aomine remains quiet, and then he sighs loudly. "Way to tear down a guy's masculinity, Bakagami."

"I wasn't tearing down anything!" Kagami growls. "What am I supposed to do when he gets in to it with a guy twice his size?"

"Not treat him like a girl?" Aomine sasses, even though he knows he would probably do the same thing to Kise if the situation were to arise. It's because they care, obviously, but Aomine realizes now more than ever that sometimes people don't want to be protected, and need to do things for themselves.

"Just because that guy is small doesn't mean I see him as some girl." Kagami says, foot tapping anxiously against the cement beneath them. "I like that he's smaller than me. Makes it easier to hold him."

"You really are stupid." Aomine scoffs. "Tetsu wouldn't care about you calling him puny, it's because you implied he was weak."

"He's not." Kagami states. Eyebrows furrow and red eyes narrow at him, as if the bluenette had been the one who had insulted the shadow. In response, Aomine glares back.

"Yeah. Tetsu isn't." Aomine says, emphasizing Kagami's own words. His point seems to get across, for Kagami groans while the upper half of his body falls forward. Red hair is scratched in frustration as the other curses under his breath. When Kagami pulls himself together, the teen sits up properly and fidgets anxiously.

"Ah. No wonder he's pissed." Kagami says, and then narrows his eyes down at the ground. "What am I supposed to do to make up for that?"

"Have you tried apologizing?" Aomine asks, and he smirks at how he's able to turn Kagami's own simplistic thinking against the other and make Kagami feel silly. He continues with a shrug, "Bring him one of those shakes he likes. If you do that, it'll take him longer to shut the door on your face."

When Kagami only grumbles a bit, Aomine shoves him before standing up and stretching. "If you feel bad, you need to do something about it."

"You're right." Kagami admits begrudgingly, standing after another moment. They silently agree to start walking to Maji Burger, and when they arrive Aomine demands water for his valiant efforts of helping his friend. At the demand, Kagami scoffs and tells him to go away, but comes back with a water and shake anyways before they start off in the direction of Tetsu's home. Kagami complains about milkshakes during winter, before their conversation expectedly turns back to basketball and the upcoming season. They talk about Inter High, and who will win, and go on to talk about Winter Cup as well. The memory of December causes Aomine to pause briefly, because that's the month he'll have to make his decision about college, and during this time Kagami steers the conversation elsewhere—somewhere that temporarily stuns Aomine in to silence.

"There's actually this scholarship that I'm being offered. For a university in America." Kagami starts, and Aomine chokes on the water he drinks.

"You too?" Aomine asks.

"Ah? What do you mean by that?" Kagami asks back, and they quickly discover that they're both being recruited to the same private university overseas. It's a surreal feeling, and an interesting thought to play alongside a fellow basketball idiot. Kagami snickers at possibilities and explains customs in America to him, and Aomine laughs along because it sounds _fun_. Regardless of the thoughts though, both of them admit to not knowing what to do.

"My parents are all for it, and I've talked to Kuroko about it. He's supportive but—four years is a long time." Kagami says, looking up at the sky.

"Yeah." Aomine mumbles, guilty because he hasn't said a word to Kise about anything. Noticing his sudden quietness, Kagami asks how Kise feels on the matter. When Aomine admits to keeping everything a secret, Kagami scolds him disapprovingly, which earns the other a rough kick and an order to hurry up and make up with Tetsu. With a huff, Aomine turns to storm away, but Kagami calls out to him. When Aomine turns to look back at the teen, Kagami offers him a thankful smile and a promise to teach him some informal English should he decide to go overseas. Brows furrow at the comment, and Aomine turns away with a scoff.

Stupid Bakagami.

As he continues his jog home, Aomine contemplates telling Kise for the umpteenth time. It couldn't go over that badly, right? He wouldn't feel as bad if he were to talk about it, right?

* * *

Valentine's Day has always been a good day for Kise. Girls shower him with attention and with sweets that he sneakily eats whenever his mother isn't watching. It's a day where his ego is boosted and he feels _good _about himself. This year is no different. Kise is swarmed at the front gate first thing in the morning and all the way until after he's seated and the bell has rang for classes to begin. When lunch starts, the same scenario starts afresh, and for some reason Kise feels nothing. The blonde feels antsy and impatient, and he can't understand why. This is normal; being praised and confessed to and pampered on this day has become tradition for him, so _why_ doesn't he feel happy?

From over the crowd Kise sees Aomine glaring at the mass of estrogen surrounding him. It's then that Kise realizes why everything feels off. It's because Kise has Aomine, and _wants_ Aomine. Still being loved by the girls is flattering, but Kise wants to coddle his boyfriend and give him chocolates—right now, he doesn't want to receive anything.

Sadly, Kise's Valentines' are never quiet and personal though. Lunch passes without room to breathe, and Kise sighs at the sight of the two separate bags in addition to his school bag, each packed full with treats made especially for him. Sakurai offers him a sympathetic smile, and he notices that Aomine stares ahead with narrowed eyes and a scowl at the front of the room where the teacher lectures.

Discreetly, Kise writes something on to his paper before ripping it and folding it to a less noticeable size. When the teacher turns to face the board, Kise reaches forward, slipping the paper in to Aomine's collar. The bluenette shudders at the light scrape, hand flying to the back of his neck before he turns to look at Kise in confusion. Kise motions to Aomine's collar and Aomine frowns, brows furrowing when he pulls out the note. The power forward rolls his eyes at the juvenile action, but turns to face forward and opens the note after a quick glance to make sure the teacher is still occupied.

While waiting for Aomine to respond, Kise takes notes half-heartedly. When the model lowers his head to finish writing an equation that the teacher tells them about, the folded piece of paper drops before him. When amber eyes glance up, Aomine already faces forward; Kise smiles regardless and carefully opens the note, glancing over its contents quickly.

_Aominecchi! I'm so sorry! I didn't think there would be so many girls this year._

**It's this way every year, isn't it?**

Kise frowns at the short response before quickly scribbling down a note and placing it a top Aomine's shoulder. The other teen grabs at the paper languidly while writing down the notes he had earlier missed. Not a minute later, the paper appears back on his desk.

_But this year Aominecchi is my valentine, right?_

**I'm yours every day, idiot.**

Amber eyes widen.

"Kise-san? Are you feeling ill?" The teacher asks, and Kise looks up from the note. Somehow over the sound of his thumping heart, he recognized his name—Kise wonders if he looked up because of Aomine's gaze though. Blue eyes look at him amusedly, and Aomine's lips quirk in to a smirk. The blonde can feel the heat that burns across his face, and he feels warm from the inside out. He must be making a strange face; people whisper and girls giggle, and Kise smiles a beautifully awkward smile before laughing and waving his hand dismissively.

When school ends, Aomine seems to disappear. Even though Kise really wants to give Aomine the chocolate he had made the night before, he can't and it leaves the blonde sulking as both Sakurai and he clean the classroom. Finally he's left alone, but Aomine isn't even here! It's frustrating, and Kise huffs disgruntledly. In response, Sakurai laughs at him and assures him that the power forward is surely nearby. As true as that statement is, Kise is impatient.

"Being popular must be hard, hm?" Sakurai chuckles jokingly. The comment earns little more than a wordless whine though, and they continue cleaning. At some point they begin talking about Sakurai's plans, after Kise curiously inquires about what the couple will be making for dinner, which leads in to what-if situations that leave the both of them laughing and gasping for air. Because of their distraction, cleaning goes by slower than usual. It takes Momoi peeking in to the room to pull them from their amusement. The pink haired girl shuffles from side to side anxiously, with her hands behind her back and with rosy cheeks. It makes Kise tilt his head curiously as he ponders what could possibly be making Momoi feel flustered.

"Are you okay, Momoicchi?" Kise asks.

"Eh? Ah! Yeah! Of course. I'm fine." Momoi says in choppy sentences, turning her attention to him before it trails to Sakurai. The brunette notices and glances in Kise's direction; in response, the blonde offers a one shouldered shrug before Sakurai turns back to Momoi. The girl fidgets for a few moments more before taking a few strides forward and thrusting a small box in to Sakurai's chest. Momoi shouts, "Please give these to Kasamatsu-san for me!"

"A-Ah?" Sakurai asks, reaching up to clasp the box before it can fall.

"Eh!?" Kise asks, stumbling in to a desk in his attempt to get closer to his friends. Did he hear right? Did the manager just say _Kasamatsu_? As happy as Kise would be for his senpai, he hadn't seen such a thing coming! He asks, "When did this happen?"

"N-nothing's happened, Ki-chan!" Momoi complains embarrassedly. "He walked me home that one night when everyone was busy and I wanted to thank him."

Although essentially different, Kise thinks this sort of situation sounds eerily familiar. Instead of sticking around to tease the pink haired girl though, Kise excuses himself to let his friends talk in private. Kise is sure to hear the story from one of the parties involved at some point, or even all three! As the model slowly makes his way down numerous flights of stairs, he smiles to himself and thinks of how great it would be for everyone in their group to have a valentine.

More important than that though, Kise wants to see _his _valentine.

With a bright smile, he makes his way to the gymnasium, pushing his way past a heavy door to get to the long hall leading to one of the entrances to the courts. Even from far away, he can hear the echoes of a dribbling ball, and Kise picks up his pace eagerly. Once he gets to the door though, the blonde pauses. Through the partially opened entrance, Kise sees Aomine's back, broad and strong in the artificial light. The power forward practices idly, attempting new things that Kise has never seen and executing them flawlessly. Watching Aomine play basketball has always been mesmerizing, and even now the model finds himself unable to move forward. Instead, Kise leans his crutches against the wall and sits, peering around the door as his boyfriend plays.

Aomine seems at ease—the bluenette seems _happy_ and that makes Kise feel happy in turn. With a light smile on his face, both warm and fond, Kise watches Aomine dribble, shoot, and score. He remembers the times where they would play together, with and against one another, and he dozes to the sound of shoes squeaking against polished wood.

* * *

It should be easier to gather his courage—it's not like Aomine is a coward. Regardless of that fact, the power forward finds himself tongue-tied. He makes up excuses of why he shouldn't tell Kise, at least today, but his being dishonest always negates those excuses. There's no reason for Aomine not to tell Kise about his confliction over accepting the scholarship or not. Just because it's a holiday doesn't mean he should take the opportunity to procrastinate what can be done now. Even though Aomine knows this, he fidgets at the thought. To calm himself, he plays basketball, but it seems to make the situation worse. Aomine begins thinking of standing on a different court, surrounded with other athletes and being pushed to his limit. There's a possibility that limit won't be pushed, but Aomine watched a number of videos after his jog with Kagami with absolute _reverence_.

Going overseas and competing with people like that—it sounds like fun; Aomine already has games envisioned in his head, acting them out subconsciously with feints and double pivots, drives and a variety of shots. The ball rebounds from his fingers, bouncing against the floor with rhythmic thumps as he moves it in to a crossover, a wraparound. The more he moves, the quicker his breathing becomes, and Aomine begins to lose sight of the emptiness around him, instead replacing it with a court with opposing teams, and with crowds in opposite stands clothed in clashing colors. He could care less for cheers, but everything else—the call of teammates, the squeaking of sneakers, the bounce of the ball against the court and the swoosh when it goes through the hoop, the whistling of refs, the labored breathing and the loud thudding of a heart running on adrenaline alone, all ending with the sound of a buzzer—

Aomine wants it.

He wants it fucking badly.

With a sigh, he puts the ball up and picks up his school bag. Both Kise and Sakurai should be finished cleaning by now. With the number of valentines Kise had gotten, Aomine figures the other will probably need help carting everything around. The bluenette weakly decides against bringing up the scholarship, regardless of Kise's vague knowledge of it, and languidly approaches the door he had left open upon entering. As he walks through the opening, he turns to shut the door, pausing when he sees a blur of yellow.

When he looks down, Kise sits on the ground, curled in to a ball. Aomine wonders how late it is, for Kise to have fallen asleep, and looks around in confusion. Should he wake the model up? Should he wait? Aomine crouches down in front of his boyfriend with a quiet huff, but before he can reach out to shake the other, Aomine gets distracted.

Kise really does have a nice face. Long eyelashes flutter against fair skin as Kise dreams, and Aomine finds himself wanting to touch. Although he undoubtedly looks strange, he reaches forward and brushes Kise's fringe, fingers slipping through shiny strands with ease. Kise's skin is as smooth as it looks beneath Aomine's touch, and the bluenette awkwardly drops his hand when stormy blue eyes catch sight of Kise's full lips. They look soft, and Aomine really wants to know if they are or not—if they're warm or cool, dry or moist. Aomine wants to know how strongly they'll press against his own, and if the simple touch can make him feel as good as holding Kise's hand does. Cautiously, he reaches forward, placing his hand near the blonde's. The power forward swallows thickly, and although Aomine feels the nervous thrum of his heart, he leans forward, closer and closer to Kise's face—to those parted lips that leave him curious and flustered all at once. When he's close enough, Aomine can feel Kise's breath brush over his face; the feeling is soft and warm, and when he moves to press forward, he pauses.

Aomine pauses because amber eyes stare at him.

It's probably one of the most awkward experiences of his short life; Aomine can actually _feel _the blush over his cheeks. Although his darker complexion hides his embarrassment, Kise isn't so lucky. The model's cheeks are rosy and the other's body remains still as Kise holds his breath. Not knowing what to do, Kise glances away, and Aomine feels humiliated. He feels awful, because what kind of person would he be if he stole his boyfriend's first kiss without the other being ready? Shit—he should probably apologize. With a heavy sigh, he reaches up to scratch the back of his head before going to do just that. Whatever words rest at the tip of his tongue though, vanish from his mind at the sudden, soft brush of Kise's tightly closed lips against the corner of his mouth.

He doesn't try to form words.

He can't.

Aomine can only stare with eyes wide from surprise at Kise, whose eyes dart self-consciously to the side from embarrassment. The outer corners of the blonde's brows draw downwards, and the corner of a ruddy lip is bitten. The expression Kise makes causes Aomine's heart to soar; although he wants to see more of it, Kise stumbles up and begins walking to exit the gymnasium. Meanwhile, Aomine remains crouched and thinking about what just happened. He can still feel where Kise had kissed him, and he grins because that idiot actually missed!

"Hey, Kise!" Aomine calls, chasing after his boyfriend. Reluctantly, and with a face still stained pink, Kise turns to look back at the power forward from over a shoulder. It looks as if the boy wants to apologize, but Aomine closes the distance between them before the model can manage, pressing his lips to Kise's in a chaste kiss. It's a struggle not to push for more, but Aomine pulls himself far enough away that he can admire Kise's flushed cheeks and surprised amber eyes. An easy smile pulls at the corners of Aomine's lips at the expression, and soon his cheeks begin to hurt from the girth of his grin.

"Thanks for the Valentine's gift." Aomine says cheekily, because right now he's that damn happy.

"T-that wasn't my gift, Aominecchi!" Kise groans, reaching in to his school bag and pulling out a small bag filled with dark and milk chocolate alike. At the sight of it, Aomine raises a brow, but before he can make a comment about the missing white chocolate, and if _Kise _is the substitute for the sugary treat, the candy is thrust at his chest. It's almost as if Kise knows that Aomine is about to make a dirty comment, and the power forward mentally snickers at how red Kise's ears become. "That was because—because I like you."

"Ah. I'm being spoiled today." Aomine snickers as he looks from the bag he holds to Kise. In turn, the blonde offers him a stunning smile that makes his heart skip a beat. Aomine returns the gesture with a lopsided smile of his own, "Thanks."

"Well, you're mine to spoil every day, right?" Kise asks, looking up at Aomine with a contented expression.

"Yeah." Aomine says, matching Kise's countenance with a warm look of his own while reaching around the blonde to place his hand a top Kise's on the crutch. The model's hands are cold with nerves, and Aomine's smile softens in to a fond smirk. The butterflies in his stomach won't go away, but the bluenette can't bring himself to mind the strange feeling. Lightly, he pries at Kise's fingers so that they can walk hand in hand. For some reason, Kise refuses to let go of the crutch, and Aomine's brows furrow before he looks back to his boyfriend. What the Hell is wrong with this idiot? Kise is ruining the mood! The blonde looks away from him embarrassedly though, and Aomine stops his persistent actions.

"If I let go, I'll probably fall." Kise murmurs reluctantly, and the comment is ominous to the point that Aomine fretfully worries that something had happened with Kise's foot. As he looks down though, Kise continues, "My knees feel really weak right now."

And Aomine laughs heartily, forcing the crutch from Kise's hand so that they can be on their way. The blonde laces their fingers easily, and Aomine tightens his grip. Awkwardly, he pulls a chocolate from the bag Kise had given him and places it between his lips, mumbling around the treat to ask if Kise would like to try them. When the model eagerly consents and turns to receive the candy, Aomine leans down with the chocolate still held between his lips. Kise lets out a scandalized yelp in response, hitting Aomine's shin harshly with the crutch the blonde still carries before hobbling ahead. From where he crouches on the side of the road, cradling his abused leg, Aomine snickers. He notices that when Kise is embarrassed, even the back of his neck turns red. Learning new things like this, and having moments like this—it's worth more than Aomine can put in to words.

* * *

**A/N: **Chapter 17—done. OTL Hopefully everyone enjoyed this chapter! Thank you so much for taking the time to read it. If you have time, please leave a comment to let me know your thoughts/questions/concerns/etc. Hopefully this time I'll be able to respond to some of you guys, although I can make no promises with the way my schedule is. I will definitely try my best though, both with replying to you wonderful people and with writing future chapters. Thanks again for reading!

As far as commentary on this chapter… that pink popsicle guys. ;D There's no way something like that could go ignored, hahaha. Aokise is so canon guys. All the proud shipper feels. ;U; And Aomine and Kagami! I bet a number of you saw Kagami's scholarship coming, huh? But yes, the scholarship/university issue will be touched on more in the future, as will some other matters. In the meantime though, you'll probably be seeing a lot of Aomine and Kise growing as a power couple (and outshining the flawlessness that is ImaSaku, which totally wasn't planned to turn out as it has l:).


	18. Chapter 18

_**Title: **__Just Breathe (18/?)  
__**Rating: **__M  
__**Pairings: **__Aokise, KagaKuro, ImaSaku  
__**Warnings: **__Unbeta'd, OOCness, cultural inaccuracies  
__**Word Count:**__ 7500 approx.  
__**Summary: **__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time.  
__**A/N: **__Thank you all so much for your continued support and encouragement. I'm seriously one of the luckiest authors in the fandom, and I can't stress enough how much I appreciate every single one of you. ;U;_

* * *

Sunlight filters through the windowpanes, and all Aomine can think to himself is how stunning Kise's bared skin looks when bathed in it. Despite his efforts, the bluenette can't stop himself from staring; each contour draws Aomine deeper, the slope of defined bones tempting him to touch, to feel. Beneath him Kise shifts from the attention, head turning away coyly although amber eyes remain solely on him. There's a small smile that spreads across Kise's lips as calloused fingertips brush against Aomine's arm, and the bluenette smirks, leaning down to ghost his lips across the sharp line of Kise's jaw. As he breathes, Aomine drags his teeth across smooth skin, savoring the feeling, burning in to his memory how Kise shudders, how Kise arches in to him, how Kise wraps one arm around his neck while interlacing the other's fingers with Aomine's own. Their movements are slow and languid, lazy in the pleasant heat of the February sun, and as Aomine's hand slides up the side of a narrow waist, smoothing over a flat chest, he opens his eyes.

Because like _Hell_ something like that could be real.

Aomine groans quietly to himself, throwing an arm over his eyes to block out the blinding light of the sun that shines through the window of the rehabilitation center. Dreaming of something like that in a place like this—Aomine is seriously fucked up. Or rather, not fucked up enough, considering there's been no fucking going on. Luckily the dream was tame enough not to warrant a reaction from his body, but _damn it_ does it leave him feeling more frustrated than ever. He wants to touch and kiss and have sex with Kise, but the idiot shies away from any advance of his that isn't chaste. It confuses him, because Kise is a healthy teenage boy as well; how can the blonde not crave the same physical connection that Aomine does?

'Honesty,' Satsuki will say, because apparently such a thing can be considered a turn-on. Honesty over what, Aomine isn't sure, but he has a feeling that his friend alludes to something more than his growing sexual frustration. Aomine would like to think that more than being honest, his faithfulness can be attractive and arousing, because shit—he's turned down a number of girls ready and willing to go to the roof of the school for a quickie. Can he be rewarded for not succumbing to temptation? A sigh pulls its way past his lips, because he knows that the temptation was little because those girls weren't _Kise_.

Kise is the one that Aomine wants, after all.

So really, Aomine doesn't deserve a reward for his faithfulness, because he knows without a doubt that he would never cheat on his boyfriend. Instead of honesty and faithfulness though, couldn't Aomine be rewarded for his patience? Just a little bit of tongue—_anything_!

When the power forward sits up, he stretches lethargically and yawns. The clock on the wall above the front desk reads fifteen 'til ten, which means that Kise should be done soon. For a brief moment, Aomine continues sitting, staring blankly in to nothing while contemplating his situation. It takes Kise rounding the corner for Aomine to snap himself from his daze.

Blonde brows furrow deeply in concentration, focusing solely on moving forward, one foot in front of the other. Even for Aomine, it's a frustrating sight. The weight Kise puts on Kiyoshi's wheelchair does little to assist the heavy drag of the former's leg, and it's apparent in Kise's strained expression just how hard the model is trying to not rely on anything. They've talked about this matter, about how annoying it is to feel yet not be able to move. Although the severity is different, Aomine can understand perfectly, what with his need to ravish Kise senseless but without being able to and all. Of course Kise's circumstances are infinitely worse, but the idea is basically the same.

Or not—but Aomine is seriously on edge, because even tense and struggling Kise looks damn sexy. That is, until the model suddenly falls after putting too much pressure on to his left foot. At that moment, whatever crude thought had been filling his mind vanishes, and Aomine dashes forward to where the physical therapist already kneels on the ground, asking Kise if he's okay. Kiyoshi too peers back from his seat in the wheelchair Kise had been pushing, checking that the blonde isn't hurt, and all Aomine can do is stand nearby in wait.

"I'm fine." Kise says, but it's obvious in his tone of voice that he's not. The words are clipped and forced, and Aomine sighs quietly when he notices how tightly Kise clenches his hands.

"Here, let's get you up." The therapist says, assisting Kise in standing. The man informs Kiyoshi to return to the back room, turning to face Aomine after Kiyoshi reluctantly rolls away. The bluenette is asked to help Kise walk around and stretch, to which the power forward agrees without protest. With a promise to return, the physical therapist leaves them, and Aomine glances at his boyfriend warily. Kise looks down at the floor dejectedly, and the bluenette takes it upon himself to wrap his arm around Kise's waist before nudging them forward.

"Sorry." The blonde murmurs, and Aomine shrugs. They move slowly, with occasional jerks forward every time Kise attempts to stand on his left foot.

"For giving me an excuse to touch you in public? Don't worry about it." Aomine says nonchalantly, attempting to lighten the mood. Even if Kise smiles though, it's weary and utterly discouraged. They lapse in to silence, and Aomine's gaze guilty lowers. He doesn't know what to do, given the situation. For a while Kise had been fine, but now the bluenette notices a steady decline in Kise's optimistic mood. It's not as noticeable as when they were first years, but Aomine can see it when Kise doesn't think anyone is paying attention. Aomine sees how Kise's shoulders slouch, and how the permanent smile on the other's face falters. Lately he's noticed that Kise is becoming more tired, and Aomine _knows_ it's because the idiot is attempting to do even more than he already is to get better during the few hours of the day the blonde has off.

Aomine wishes that he could do more to help, and when Kise turns to him with a genuine smile, thanking the power forward for accompanying him, Aomine tries his hardest to smile back. What can he do in order to distract Kise—to lift Kise's spirit? What?

"Surprise him at home with cake or something." Kagami suggests, and through the speaker of his phone Aomine can hear Satsuki laugh loudly. These two really are no help, and Aomine sighs while running a hand through his hair. It's been a few hours since Aomine had parted ways with Kise, who tiredly left his side to go to an interview across town. Although the power forward had wanted to go to keep Kise company, the blonde had told him not to worry, for the latter's mother would surely show up at some point. Aomine feels awful for being bayed by the woman, but he's thought numerous times what would happen if Kise's mom were to know about him—the fallout wouldn't be good. Putting the blonde through that isn't something Aomine wants to do when Kise has so many other things to fret over.

With another heavy sigh, he returns to the three-way phone conversation, "Can't. His mom hates me."

"Ah? What did you do this time, Ahomine?" Kagami asks.

"For once, nothing!" Satsuki snickers, and Aomine grumbles under his breath. It's true that there's no identifiable reason for that woman's distaste for him, and Kagami blanches when Satsuki tells the other stories of past encounters Kise's mom and Aomine have had. Back in his Teikō days it was somewhat amusing, but now that Kise and he are going out, it makes him antsy. The last thing he wants to be is on the bad list of someone so important to the model; more than pissing the woman off, Aomine desperately needs to impress her—a challenging task when Aomine's mere existence pisses Kise's mom off.

"Maybe you could bring his mom something as well?" Kagami tries suggesting. In response, Aomine scoffs and stubbornly refuses with the excuse that it wouldn't help with anything.

"I'm more worried about Kise than that prick." Aomine huffs, walking idly through his house to get to the kitchen in order to grab himself a bottled water from the fridge. After cradling his phone between his ear and shoulder, Aomine twists the cap off and takes a swig of the drink, waiting for the suggestions to start up again. These fools had better be able to help him, because he's hopeless on his own right now.

"Maybe you could take Ki-chan to see the cherry blossoms?" Satsuki suggests, and Kagami agrees with a hum and acknowledgement to how much Kise would appreciate something like that. Satsuki teases Kagami about taking Kuroko as well, and the red head sputters in embarrassment.

"It's the end of February, damn woman." Aomine growls as he leans against his counter while tipping the water bottle to and fro. "I need something to do _now_—not in March or April."

"Take him out somewhere he won't have to think then!" Satsuki grumbles back.

"Yeah. Like that trip you take during summer break to visit your family." Kagami chimes in, and the comment is followed by silence. At some point his rival awkwardly asks if both Satsuki and he are still present, but Aomine can't find words. Take Kise to visit his family? Isn't that a rather intimate gesture? Just the thought makes Aomine fidget and pace through the kitchen and hall of his apartment as he continuously tries to respond.

"T-That's a stupid idea, Bakagami!" He eventually says.

"Really?" Kagami says offhandedly, and of course the boy raised in America would be okay with such an outrageous thought. As Aomine plops down on to his couch, propping his feet a top the low coffee table in front of it, Kagami continues, "You're pretty serious about Kise, so it's normal to introduce someone like that to your folks."

Normal or not, isn't it really embarrassing? Aomine doubts his parents will care that he chooses to date another boy, because they've always been supportive of whatever makes him happy, and it's not like he's ashamed of Kise in any way, but—but introducing the model to them? It's something Aomine has never even thought of, and it leaves him stupefied. Could it be that Kagami is right? Should he introduce Kise come summer break? Should he wait a while longer? What if his family doesn't like Kise, for some reason? Or what if Kise feels uncomfortable around them? Shit—what if his mother tells embarrassing stories that not even Satsuki would dare to share? All these thoughts go through his head at once, and the power forward doesn't even realize that nothing pertains to his original reason for calling his two friends. Somehow he has even more problems now!

"Dai-chan? Are you still there?" Satsuki asks, playing the responsible one and turning the conversation around full circle. The girl continues thoughtfully, "Maybe you should visit Ki-chan, like Kagami-kun suggested."

"Kise's mom doesn't like Aomine though." Kagami says. "Wouldn't that lead to more problems?"

"Who said she would have to see Dai-chan?" Satsuki says confidently, complaining lightly at a passing comment Kagami makes about always knowing the girl was the cunning type. As the two banter, Aomine comes out of his thoughts about parents and boyfriends, the words his friend says slowly sinking in. Visiting Kise without being caught? A smirk tugs at the corner of his lips, and soon enough Aomine knows what to do that can hopefully lift the blonde's spirits. It may be a bit risky, and it's possible his plan can backfire completely, but he'll deal with the repercussions if they come. For now he needs to try his best to encourage Kise, to remind the model of what he's striving for.

With a quick thank you to his two friends, Aomine abruptly ends the call before clicking various buttons in order to compose a simple text.

**(1:48pm) What's your schedule like over the next few days?**

* * *

Kise's week is long and taxing. Between school, work, and physical therapy, he's only given a few hours to himself that are spent completing homework. By the off chance he finishes at an okay hour, he'll dedicate more time to his exercises, watching his foot with furrowed brows and willing it to move. Of course it never does, but Kise tries tirelessly regardless. He desperately wants to see some progress. Having his toes move was an encouraging start, but it seems he's hit another wall that Kise absolutely _needs _to crawl over. The last basketball season of his high school careers is coming up, and Kise doesn't have time to wait another year to be able to move the rest of his leg!

So Kise struggles. The model stands alone in his room, using furniture and a multitude of boxes he still hasn't unpacked as support as he trips around the small space. On multiple occasions, he'll fall. Although the hardwood is painful to land on and leaves his body aching each time he hits it, Kise gets up and continues. If he tries hard enough, surely he'll see some progress. Even if the blonde is discouraged, he won't give up! Kise will get better—he will!

But more than half an hour passes and all he has to show of his efforts are bruised knees and hands rubbed raw. Again, Kise finds himself on the floor, but instead of standing up, he rolls until he lies on his back. His panting is quick, and the model breathes heavily through his nose to steady the rise and fall of his chest. When his phone starts vibrating across his bed, Kise reaches up and searches for it, fingers wrapping around the cool surface of the device before dragging it down so that he can see who's calling. The fake name Kise had given Aomine flashes on the screen, and Kise bites his lip anxiously in an attempt to pull himself together.

"Hey!" Kise answers, tone breathy and light. There's silence on the other line, and Kise frowns as he calls out Aomine's name in the same out of breath tone he had before. Did the power forward accidently call him somehow?

"Did I catch you doing something dirty?" Aomine snickers suddenly, and Kise flushes in embarrassment at the accusation. Of course his boyfriend of all people would assume something like that!

"N-No!" Kise shouts frantically as he sits up. "I had been walking around my room. Or trying. I wasn't doing anything like—like—no!"

"Ah, damn." Aomine sighs disappointedly, and Kise buries his head in his knees from how lewd the other can be. The bluenette really doesn't have any shame! In response to the comment, Kise has every intention of telling Aomine to be more modest and courteous, but the power forward's chortles fade, and Aomine continues in a serious voice, "Not that I think you'll listen, but don't you think you should take it easy? Doing too much can cause more harm than good."

There's no room to argue with Aomine's comment, and Kise sighs dejectedly and hums his consent. It's excessive strain, amongst other things, that got Kise in to this situation, after all. Although the model should be more conscientious of that fact, he can't help but to feel antsy and want to keep trying. Aomine is right though; forcing the matter won't do the model any good. Kise sighs and says, "I know."

"If you know, then come outside and relax a bit." Aomine says, and Kise has to pause as he mulls his boyfriend's words over in his head. Go outside? Why would he do that? As great as fresh air is, it's rather cold outside; Kise would rather curl up in bed, or even make their lunch for the following day. When Kise voices his reluctance of braving the February chill, Aomine scoffs, "Just get your sweet ass out here, pretty boy."

With a sigh, Kise picks himself up from off the ground and looks around his room for something warm to put on over his sweater. Upon finding a coat, Kise grabs his crutches before hobbling through the house. After informing his mom that he'll be going to the store, he slips on a pair of shoes before tiredly walking outside. The cool air is refreshing to breathe, and he supposes that maybe Aomine was right about what he needed to do. The other teen stays quiet on the other end of the line, and when Kise asks what Aomine is doing, the power forward tells him to hurry up and look down.

Curiously, Kise peers over the ledge, eyes widening when he sees his boyfriend standing just inside the complex's gate. Regardless of any feeling he had been feeling earlier, a wide and impossibly happy smile lights up Kise's face. A laugh pulls itself past his lips as he waves down at the figure that offers him a short wave in return. "What is Aominecchi doing here?" Kise asks through the phone that he awkwardly carries between his ear and shoulder as he hurries to the elevator. Aomine never comes to visit him, especially when his mom is present! Anxiously, Kise bounces on his right heel, willing the elevator to move faster so that he can see the bluenette that waits for him.

"Just wanted to see you." Aomine says simply, and suddenly Kise is thankful for the slowness of the machine he's in. To contain his gleeful grin, Kise bites his lip, and the elevator doors slide open to reveal his boyfriend waiting for him and suddenly hiding his delight is impossible. With a few skips forward, Kise stands before the power forward, looking up in to blue eyes contentedly.

"Hi." The blonde breathes.

Aomine smirks down at him, stormy blue eyes filled with nothing but tender affection, "Hey."

Their greeting is followed by a comfortable silence in which they simply watch one another. It hasn't been long since they've last seen each other, but lately whenever Kise sees Aomine, it's like seeing the boy for the first time. Every day finds Kise having a fire lit in him, and every day finds Kise falling more in what very well could be love with Aomine. It's a breathtaking feeling, and Kise wouldn't give it up for the world. He beams, not even realizing until the blonde notices Aomine's lips quirk in to a lopsided smile of his own. Kise chooses to lower his gaze then, only the slightest bit embarrassed; Aomine's just so handsome—Kise can't help himself!

"What if my mom had seen you?" Kise asks, chuckling softly.

"Let's not think about that." Aomine scoffs, reaching out to take Kise's right crutch so that they can walk in their usual handholding position. It's late in to the night, so no one should be around to see them, and Kise feels himself glowing because he loves this—loves being able to hold Aomine's hand, and loves the feeling of almost being able to walk on his own without the annoying weight of two crutches.

Kise laughs and agrees before briefly peering down at the orange basketball Aomine carries. The sight causes the model to tilt his head to the side inquisitively before he turns to look at Aomine. "Did you just finish practicing?" Kise asks. It doesn't seem as if the other had; the bluenette is in street clothes and doesn't smell sweaty at all—the ball is partially worn too, so it can't be that Aomine had just bought it.

"No." Aomine starts, leading them closer to the park nearby the complex. Although he's not sure what his boyfriend has planned, Kise finds himself becoming anxious with every step they take forward. Swallowing thickly, he sighs and begins swinging Aomine and his entwined hands to ease his nerves. The movement seems to help, along with the cold air that stings his face and hands, but Aomine continues and that feeling of peace vanishes, "I thought we could play together."

What?

_What?_

Decidedly not amused, Kise's lips purse and his brows draw. One of his amber eyes twitch as he continues walking steadily forward, grasping on to Aomine's hand tightly just so the other can feel how annoyed he is at the mere suggestion. Where had that insensitive suggestion come from? Kise knows that Aomine is all too aware of the blonde's injury, and of how much it bothers Kise, so why would the basketball idiot bring it up in such a way? When he looks away, the model moves as if to let go of Aomine's hand, but Aomine refuses to be let go of. It startles Kise in to looking back, and when he sees the look in Aomine's eyes, Kise looks down at the pavement tiredly.

"I can't, Aominecchi." Kise murmurs softly, and admitting it, no matter how many times he already has, is always too painful. With a reminder to himself to breathe, the blonde inhales and exhales before turning to look at Aomine. "Even if I could move my foot, it's not like I'd be able to play properly."

It's a fact. Kise has asked his doctor, has asked other doctors, has asked his physical therapist and has even read too many articles online. If that wasn't enough, Kise has even talked to _Akashi_ about it! There's little hope for him unless Kise can move the muscles in his calf. Until then, he won't be able to bend his knee properly. Without that basic ability, he won't be able to move quickly, to shift at a moment's notice, to jump—Kise won't be able to play basketball with everyone one last time, and that thought is painfully sad. With each passing day, that suffocating feeling grows stronger, and leaves him feeling more impatient than the day before.

Kise needs to get better, but he can't.

They continue walking in the direction of the park, with Aomine idly rubbing his thumb in to the soft flesh of Kise's hand. It's relaxing, but doesn't lift the model's mood as much as it usually would. With a quiet sigh, Aomine says, "I know." The statement makes Kise's shoulders slump, and the blonde wonders why the idiot beside him would suggest they play, knowing that Kise can't. It's not like Aomine to be so insensitive nowadays—the bluenette had long since outgrown that negative trait, at least with Kise. It frustrates him; why couldn't Aomine be a jerk about something else if the other was in a mood to be mean?

Once they arrive at the park's basketball court, Aomine turns to face him, offering Kise a lazy smirk that makes Kise frown. The power forward snickers and asks, "Are you seriously mad right now?"

"You're being a jerk." Kise says with a huff, purposefully looking away from the taller teen. "Saying that you want to play with me when I can't."

"You misunderstood me, idiot." Aomine says, shifting to lightly thwack the model's head. Confusedly, amber eyes turn to look in to blue, and Aomine looks away in order to gather Kise's crutches and lean them against the fence. When the power forward returns, languidly dribbling the ball, Kise bites his lower lip. The sound the ball makes against the court is as pleasant as it is tormenting. Kise's fingers itch to feel the familiar weight falling from his fingertips as he dribbles and shoots. It's been so long—Kise misses everything. With a heavy breath through his nose, he turns his attention from the basketball to Aomine, who extends the ball out for Kise to take. Cautiously, the small forward grabs it, looking at Aomine all the while who moves to stand behind him. When he calls the other's name questioningly, Aomine continues, "I said we could play _together_."

And Aomine's hands rest at Kise's hips, a sound and supportive weight. The squeeze of the bluenette's fingers encourage Kise to try and play, reassuring him that Kise won't fall like he had on the court during the semi-finals of Winter Cup their first year. When Kise shifts the ball in his hands, feeling the familiar texture at his fingertips, he breathes, and when amber eyes turn to look back in search of Aomine, the other simply looks towards the hoop. With a shuddering exhale, Kise bounces the ball once, catching it because his heart starts to beat too quickly. Soon enough though, he bounces the ball again before attempting to bend both of his knees. Of course he stumbles, and Kise feels himself tense, but Aomine holds him steady, tells him to shoot, and Kise does.

At the sight of the ball falling through the net, Kise stares in awe. A wide smile slowly begins spreading across his face, and he laughs. That stupid Aomine, making Kise believe the other was being an insensitive jerk while planning something thoughtful and sweet like this. Although Kise has always considered himself lucky, he can't believe he has someone like Aomine to support him—to walk with him through all the frustrations that weigh him down. It's almost too much, and even with Aomine holding him, Kise feels himself falling. How can he not, when it's Aomine he falls for?

"Not bad for not having played in awhile." Aomine whistles, moving from behind the model to stand beside him. Kise looks up at the other lovingly, warmly, and Aomine offers him a tender look in return that lets Kise know that the power forward _understands _and that together they'll get through it. They'll get past this injury, and they'll get past whatever else life throws at them.

Once the ball is retrieved and given to Kise again, Aomine tosses his jacket aside. Instead of moving to stand behind the model, the power forward kneels with his back facing the blonde. After being told to climb on, Kise reluctantly does so, and after being instructed to hold on tightly, is lifted up from the ground. The first thing Kise notices is how different everything looks from so high up, but then he notices Aomine's back. The other can't see Kise's soft smile, but the power forward shudders when Kise drags his fingers over a broad shoulder. 'So strong,' is what Kise thinks to himself, awkwardly holding on to the ball as he admires his boyfriend's physique, 'Aominecchi is strong.'

Meanwhile, Aomine grunts, "You've lost weight. _Again_."

"Eh? I have not!" Kise protests, immediately pulled from his musing and admiration.

"Have to." Aomine huffs as he moves across the court. "How much?"

"Not _that_ much. Only like…five kilograms, maybe." Kise murmurs. In response, Aomine stops, yelping something indiscernible while turning back to glare at the model. Kise smiles sheepishly in return and tries to laugh off the situation. It was just a little muscle mass he lost, no big deal!

"_Five_?" Aomine asks, and the blonde looks away embarrassedly. "That's too much no matter how you look at it, idiot!"

"It's not like I'm trying to lose anything, Aominecchi." Kise whines, jolting slightly when Aomine continues moving to stand at the free throw line. The blonde rests the basketball a top the other's head and sighs. Regardless of how sulky he acts, Kise actually smiles widely, because even though he should feel guilty for worrying Aomine, the model feels happy that Aomine cares enough to notice something so trivial. It's like how Kise sees all the small changes in Aomine; from how the bluenette has grown taller, to how the other's back has broadened, to how his boyfriend's face has become more mature and less boyish. All these physical things are subtle, but Kise notices regardless because they pertain to Aomine; knowing that Aomine notices these slight changes in Kise as well—it leaves the model giddy.

"I know; you have a bad habit of not eating when you're depressed though." Aomine grumbles, glancing back at him. For a moment, Kise wants to try to laugh the situation away again and tell Aomine not to worry, but he instead listens to his boyfriend's concern and request, "Take care of yourself, okay?"

"…Okay." Kise nods, and then Aomine grins up at him before returning his attention to the hoop before them. The power forward tells Kise to try to shoot from here, and although Kise tries, it bounces off of the rim and sloppily tilts in to the basket. Beneath him, Aomine complains about the crappy shot, and Kise reaches around the bluenette to pinch Aomine's cheeks. They play the blame game about why the shot was so horrendous which leads to a variety of missed baskets as Aomine performs strange footwork that leaves Kise lurching and scrabbling to find his balance. Later on the model realizes Aomine was purposefully throwing the blonde in random directions for the sake of his own amusement, and Kise retaliates by dropping the ball on his boyfriend's head.

By the time they find a rhythm, Kise's stomach hurts from laughing, and his cheeks sting from smiling so much. They do increasingly stupid things, going so far as to try a formless shot that ends up with the both of them falling. After that Aomine says no to anything too ridiculous, claiming that Kise's mom will definitely notice if they continue with their crazy shenanigans, and Kise settles for being carted around the court, scoring basket after basket. Of course the feeling doesn't compare to when Kise played competitively in the past, but the specialness of this moment may possibly be more extraordinary than any match he's taken part in.

This moment—Kise doesn't ever want to forget it. So when Aomine walks them over to where the ball rolls, the model wraps his arms loosely around his boyfriend's neck and leans forward to hook his chin on the other's shoulder. Amber eyes observe an exposed neck before leaning forward and pressing supple lips against the warm skin behind Aomine's ear in a sweet and thankful kiss. Before Kise can move away, his lips pull in to a warm smile and he breathes a soft 'thank you', constricting his arms just slightly to hold Aomine more tightly. A shudder runs up his boyfriend's spine at the touch Kise initiates, and suddenly Aomine blurts, "I want you to meet my parents."

The request temporarily stuns the model, and he asks, "W-what?"

"A-ah. Uh." Aomine starts dumbly, clearly unsure about why he had randomly brought up such a serious matter. While the power forward tries to piece an explanation together, Kise flushes, because while he knows they're both serious about one another, it's just—meeting parents is a big deal! Kise had never expected for Aomine to suggest such a thing! The bluenette continues with a cough, "Yeah. During summer break sometime. If you want to."

"Is Aominecchi sure?" Kise asks, and an unfamiliar sensation of nerves settles low in his gut. It's not often that the model becomes anxious in social situations, but if he meets his boyfriend's parents, he wants to impress them! What if they end up hating him, or thinking he's not suitable to make their son happy? If that were to happen, would Kise have to cast aside his feelings for Aomine? Would he be able to blatantly disrespect them? No, no! Everything will be fine; Kise is a people person—he's good at attracting people to him! Kise is charming, and he likes to think he's nice, so that should be okay, right? But what if they want someone smart? Although Kise isn't dumb, he wouldn't consider himself an intelligent individual. It's not good to only rely on looks though.

As Kise's thoughts continue flooding his mind, going in too many directions at once, Aomine nods and says, "Yeah."

"Then, yeah. Yes." Kise stutters as he's slowly slid off of Aomine's back. Once steady on his feet, Aomine turns back to look at him, and Kise offers the boy a smile and nod. "I'd really like to meet them!"

"You think your mom will agree to it?" Aomine asks.

"Eh? Do you want to go ask her?" Kise asks, obviously stunned. In response, Aomine frantically shakes his head and complains that the woman doesn't even know they attend the same school. At this, Kise chuckles; it's true his mother knows nothing, as much as he would love to tell her everything. He wonders if there will be a day in which she'll meet Aomine, and how she'll react when she does. Kise hopes that both meetings with the parents will go well, because he really _really _likes Aomine.

For now though, his main concern is with meeting Aomine's parents. Regardless of this, he finds himself not caring as Aomine walks him back home; when everything is so perfect, it seems impossible for anything to go wrong.

* * *

"That took a while." She comments upon hearing the door open. There's a brief pause in which her son listens to her before he resumes ridding himself of shoes and layers of clothing. The counter she sits at is riddled with papers that she needs to read over—things that had been temporarily put on hold during her son's absence as she scheduled another shoot for him with a big name company. When Ryouta makes his way inside, he seems to glow and she gives him an incredulous look. For a few weeks he had been looking depressed; she wonders what brought about the change in heart. Her son looks absolutely radiant. Turning away from her papers, she looks Ryouta over once more before asking, "You seem rather chipper now; did something happen?"

"Ah, I just ran in to Sakurai-kun at the store. We talked for awhile." Ryouta says, the smile on his face widening. The boy hobbles towards his room and leans against the hallway wall leading to it. "He… um."

"Yes?" She asks, switching the leg she crosses over another while returning to her work. Although she wishes she could give Ryouta all of her attention, she's behind with work and needs to finish everything by morning. Losing her job wouldn't do her son any good!

"Sakurai-kun invited me out of town. For summer vacation." Ryouta says, rubbing the bottom of his crutch in to the floor nervously. Amber eyes that had once been downturned look up at her pleadingly. "It sounded like a lot of fun."

"The whole vacation?" The mother asks, turning to look at her son with furrowed brows. With a sigh, she brushes her fringe out of her face and shakes her head. One month without working? That's an awfully long time, especially when she has companies and designers calling to book Ryouta personally. It would be great if her son could go spend time with his friends, but if his career were to suffer, that wouldn't be good. Lowering her pen, she turns to face Ryouta, a small frown pulling at her weary face. "Ryouta, one month is a long time."

"It doesn't have to be the whole month!" Ryouta explains hurriedly, "Just a few days would be fine, right? Please?"

Her son had always known how to work the pleading look, and she finds herself laughing under her breath while returning to the paperwork before her. Maybe three or four days wouldn't be too bad? Especially if the thought seems to lift Ryouta's spirit so much. As concerned as she is for the boy's wellbeing in the short run though, she's more concerned about the long run, and of Ryouta's future success and stability in life.

"I'll think about it," She says regardless, and amber eyes seem to light up. Ryouta thanks her continuously, bouncing excitedly where he stands, and she continues sternly, "It's not a yes yet, Ryouta. I'm going to need more information before anything."

"Yes, of course." Ryouta beams, thanking her again before proclaiming that he's going to bathe. As she watches her son go, she sighs to herself softly. More than anything, she wants for him to be happy, but she can't help but to be worried. Turning back to her work, she breathes and picks up her pen, but places it down after a moment to massage her temples. She reminds herself that she's doing fine with raising Ryouta on her own—that he's going to be successful, and that he won't have to worry about struggling later on. This is why she's strict and hard on him; it's her way of showing her love and concern. For some reason, she can't help but to feel anxious that something may come and ruin everything.

* * *

After school, Sakurai and he sit in the library working on homework. It's the first time all day Kise has had time alone with his best friend, and the blonde desperately needs to talk to the other about the pressing matter on his mind: meeting the parents. What's it like? Is there a correct way of going about it? What should and shouldn't he say? Kise is confused—completely _lost_ and it's getting to him. So instead of focusing on their math assignment like he should be and helping Sakurai find answers, Kise stares at his paper pensively. Eventually amber eyes glance at Sakurai, who looks at a problem in the book before turning back to his paper. Once the brunette notices Kise staring, he turns and tilts his head inquisitively.

"Kise-kun?" Sakurai asks, glancing down at the other's paper. "Are you having trouble with one of the problems?"

"Eh? Ah! No, no." Kise says, shaking his head and returning to his work. By the time he finishes five problems though, he continues what he had been before. His staring causes Sakurai to pause and chuckle anxiously.

"Is there something on my face, Kise-kun?" The teen asks, reaching up to brush at his face.

"No." Kise murmurs, turning back to his work and tapping his pencil anxiously against the lined paper.

"If something's bothering you, Kise-kun can tell me about it." Sakurai says, pushing his work aside to give the blonde his full attention.

"Mn." Kise says, fidgeting slightly before sighing and pushing his own work away. When he turns the upper half of his body to face his friend, the model remains oddly quiet before groaning and hanging himself over the back of the seat. "I don't know what to do, Sakurai-kun!"

"I'm sorry." Sakurai says immediately, before continuing with, "Um. About what though?"

"Aominecchi." Kise sighs, lifting himself up and turning to sit properly. Blankly, he stares down at the table before running a hand through his hair apprehensively. "He asked me to meet his parents. I'm really happy that he wants to introduce me, and I really want to meet them, but—I don't know. I'm really nervous!"

"Kise-kun doesn't need to be nervous. You're very good with people." Sakurai says comfortingly and with a small smile.

"What was it like meeting Imayoshi-san's parents? Or when he met yours?" Kise asks, because he knows his best friend has been dating Tōō's old captain for a year now. Surely they've gone through this whole ordeal already!

"Uhm. We haven't done that." Sakurai says awkwardly, scratching the back of his head anxiously. Amber eyes widen at the brunette's words, and when Kise asks why, Sakurai shrugs and forces a chuckle, "Because we're both boys? Imayoshi-san's family has high hopes for him; they want him to marry a respectable and well-educated girl in the future, and my family doesn't think highly of relationships like ours. So we've just kept it to ourselves and close friends."

The truth is sad, especially when Sakurai and Imayoshi work so seamlessly as a couple. They make each other happy, and they support one another without reservations, and they _love_ each other—how could someone not support something like that? Kise frowns to himself. The thought of dating another boy being a bad thing has never crossed his mind. Of course it's not unheard of in their society, but it's not flaunted. It makes Kise realize that Aomine and he are only ever affectionate in private, or where they think no one will see them. Is it really so strange for two people of the same sex to be together? No—no it's not, not to Kise. The mere thought of parents not accepting something so natural though—it's painfully sad.

What if Aomine's parents don't accept him because of such a trivial reason? Pretty as the model may be, Kise is no girl. As if sensing his mood, Sakurai frantically stutters in an attempt to calm him, "T-those are just our parents though! I'm really sorry for bringing it up and making you worry. Everyone is different though. A lot of people have become more open, so it will be fine. I'll um—we can come up with a cover story so that you can go with Aomine-kun; I'm sure his parents will love you."

For a moment, Kise is quiet, but he smiles brightly so that his friend won't worry about the matter further. They talk about how Sakurai actually will be leaving town for a few days, and how later on that day, the former can send Kise all the information via text. It seems as if the blonde will be able to fool his mom with how legit everything sounds, but he's not concerned about the matter in the least. More than that, he's still concerned about what the actual meeting will be like with Aomine's parents.

Once they finish their work, Sakurai rushes home while Kise loiters around the school, wandering here in there in search of his boyfriend. Eventually he finds the bluenette in the weight room, performing various exercises while Momoi and Tōō's coach speak about something that Kise can't discern. After awhile, Aomine notices him, brows furrowing slightly in a silent gesture asking Kise if everything is okay, and if Kise needs him. In response, the model shakes his head, and leans against the wall to wait patiently for the power forward's next break. It still amazes him how dedicated Aomine has become to basketball. The teen seems more serious now than ever, and it makes Kise happy that the other has found the passion he had once lost.

"I'm taking a break." Aomine announces after another ten minutes, and the coach nods before returning to speaking with Momoi, pointing at various things on her clipboard that she nods to and fixes. As Kise is approached, the blonde holds out the water bottle and towel he had picked up from off the ground while offering his boyfriend a wide grin. The power forward takes the proffered items thankfully, opening the water while asking, "What's up?"

"Nothing—"

"Liar."

Kise pouts at being caught so quickly, and Aomine snickers while closing his water and dropping it to the floor, instead choosing to wipe away perspiration with his towel. While he's stared at and waited for, Kise shifts from the outside of his right foot to the inside while nudging the dropped bottle with his crutch. He breathes, "Uhm. Well. I was just thinking about me meeting your parents."

"Do you not want to?" Aomine asks.

"Of course I do!" Kise says immediately, looking up at his boyfriend. "What if they don't like me though? I'm probably not what they're expecting."

The power forward glances back to make sure the other occupants of the room aren't listening before focusing on Kise again, "What do you mean? How can they _not_ like you?"

At how the words are said, Kise finds himself flushing.

"Satsuki!" Aomine calls, turning to look at their friend. The girl turns to face him, pinks eyes wide and curious as she asks what's up. Blue eyes turn to look at him, and Kise quirks his head in confusion; when Aomine turns back to Momoi, he says, "What do you think my mom and dad will think?"

At this, Kise's eyes widen. Does Aomine not realize that Tōō's coach is standing right there? What is he going to think? When Kise checks though, the expression of the man is clearly confused, and Satsuki answers with a simple smile and thumbs up so as to not clue the man in on anything. A sigh of relief escapes him, and when he turns to look back at Aomine, the other already stares down at him with a reassuring smirk, "It'll be fine, idiot. They'll love you."

And in Aomine's warm expression and soft blue eyes, Kise sees a maturity he had only thought was physical. With such a look though, the blonde realizes that isn't the case, and that while Aomine has grown in to a proud, thoughtful, respectable adult, Kise is still a mere child. So when he sees such strong and clear emotions in his boyfriend's eyes, he feels both happy and antsy.

When did Kise get left behind again?

* * *

_**A/N: **__Before I get started talking about the chapter, I want to regretfully announce that Just Breathe will be on a semi-hiatus from this point until further notice. Because of personal matters, it's become difficult to keep up with everything, and I really need to take a step back and gather my bearings. I'm very sorry about this; I've tried my best but everything is a bit too stressful now, so while I'll still be writing, I can't guarantee updates will be as consistent as they have been for the past 18 chapters. I'm really, really terribly inexplicably sorry. Thank you for all of your support and encouragement thus far though, and hopefully this new development won't disappoint too many of you and turn you away from Just Breathe._

_On that not so ideal note, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. ;A; And um, yes. Please let me know your thoughts, or if you have any suggestions, feel free to share them with me. I always love reading everyone's ideas/thoughts on what is/should be happening. So yes, thank you all again so much for reading! I'll try my best to get another chapter out as soon as I can. I apologize again for this. OTL_

_As for the chapter—fun stuff is on the horizon. Namely Aomine's sexual frustration. In chapter 19, we'll be seeing more of it. ;) Aside from that though, Kise will also realize more so than he already has just how naïve he is in comparison to Aomine. There may or may not be problems that arise from this; I'll leave everyone to wonder. C:_

_Thank you again for reading, guys!_


	19. Chapter 19

_**Title: **__Just Breathe (19/?)  
__**Rating: **__M  
__**Pairings: **__Aokise, KagaKuro, ImaSaku  
__**Warnings: **__Unbeta'd, OOCness, cultural inaccuracies  
__**Word Count:**__ 8900 approx.  
__**Summary: **__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time.  
__**A/N: **__Thank you all for your patience and encouragement; I really, really appreciate how supportive every one has been. Please enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

When Kise surprises him one evening, showing up on his doorstep with bags of groceries and a schoolbag filled with textbooks and notes, all Aomine can do is smirk and help his boyfriend inside. It's mid-March and they have tests to study for, so they find themselves seated at the low coffee table in Aomine's living room half-heartedly attempting to relearn the subject material. They're both idiots, so they don't get far, but they tell themselves that they've tried and deserve a reward. Sadly, Aomine's idea of a reward is different than Kise's, and when the bluenette leans over to kiss his boyfriend, he topples over on to the floor because Kise is already halfway to the kitchen.

At the sound of his falling, Kise turns with a surprised expression, asking him if he's okay. A part of the power forward is tempted to say 'no', because it's impossible to be fine when all you crave is your boyfriend, but he grumbles that it's nothing, and that he's just hungry. Starved, really. Starved for Kise, specifically. Aomine will keep that last bit to himself though, and with a sigh he pushes himself from the ground to follow after the model.

Side by side, they cut the meat and vegetables Kise had purchased on his way over, talking idly about their upcoming third year and possible plans for the future. When Aomine tries to bring up the scholarship from months ago, he ends up biting his tongue. Instead he tries a more roundabout path to get to the subject, mentioning how college doesn't sound all too bad. Kise is understandably surprised at this new development in his plans for the future, but that surprise quickly turns to glee and genuine interest. With how supportive Kise is, Aomine feels guilty for not mentioning anything sooner; talking with the other like this encourages him in ways talking with his parents hasn't. Kise even mentions playing basketball, and Aomine snickers while admitting to that being his main motivation to go. At his words, Kise grins and talks about how he's happy that Aomine won't be stopping something he loves so much after graduating high school, and how he'll definitely go to all of Aomine's games.

Those closing words cause the guilt from before to creep back in to the bluenette's body, because Kise _won't_ be going to all of the games. It doesn't matter if the other has a job; Kise doesn't make that much money to fly to and from America every week. Inwardly, Aomine sighs as he begins to cut an onion. Kise's happy now, but he most definitely won't be once Aomine gets around to admitting the whole truth.

Whatever confidence he had been gaining by talking to Kise about hypotheticals vanishes, and he awkwardly turns the conversation back to Kise. For a moment, the blonde quietly ponders, before laughing embarrassedly and admitting he doesn't think college is in his future. They've touched the matter lightly before, but now that their futures are around the corner, Aomine finds himself frowning and asking why.

"Because I want to work on my modeling career." Is Kise's simple answer, and Aomine can't help but wonder if the other wants that because he's good at it, or because he holds a genuine interest in the career. The power forward has never actually seen Kise at shoots, but he can't imagine it being that great. All Aomine wants is for Kise to be happy and do something he loves though, just like what Kise wants for him.

"Are you s—_shit_!" Aomine starts, pausing only because his eyes _burn_ and holy shit he can feel actual tears that seep through the material of his shirt when he presses his sleeve to his face. Damn the onion! When Aomine had first decided to cut the thing, he had done so while telling himself to be a man about it; he should have went for the fucking tomato. Of course this had to happen in the middle of what would have been an important conversation, too.

"Eh? Aominecchi?" Kise asks, and Aomine curses the other because he can hear how Kise laughs under his breath. The sly son of a bitch must have planned this. "Are you okay?"

"Shut up, damn pretty boy." Aomine grunts, placing his knife down on the cutting board while carefully lowering his arm. Almost immediately, the tears start afresh, even though he squints his eyes to try to bay them back.

"Does it burn a little?" Kise continues teasing him, hopping after him on the bluenette's journey to the sink.

"You put those on my side on purpose, didn't you?" Aomine growls as he rinses his hands before reaching for a towel to press in to his eyes.

"I would never do such a thing." Kise giggles less than innocently, and Aomine grins widely while suddenly turning and wrapping his arms around Kise's middle after shoving the less than helpful towel in to his back pocket. When he hoists the other up from off the ground, Kise laughs more loudly and shouts when Aomine shakes him from side to side in a false show of anger. "A-Aominecchi! Put me dow—ah!"

"Like Hell I will, you fucking jerk." Aomine snickers, spinning the model around with newfound vigor. Beneath his arms, the power forward can feel the contractions of Kise's stomach as the other laughs, and the feeling accompanying the pleasant sound makes Aomine grin. He says, "Laughing at me while I'm in pain—what kind of boyfriend are you?"

"The kind that gets spoiled by the best boyfriend kind." Kise says, and Aomine smirks to himself, finally relenting and lowering his boyfriend back to the floor. Even once the other is steady, Aomine keeps a loose hold around the blonde's waist, content to simply stand there with the model pressed against him. Kise again seems to have other plans, and squirms around until they're both face to face.

"I always had you pegged as the spoiled type." Aomine jokes as he lowers his head so that their foreheads rest against one another. The fond expression that comes over his features makes Kise look shyly down for a moment, before Kise beams up at him with a tender smile that leaves Aomine reeling.

"I always had Aominecchi pegged as the best." Kise responds, amber eyes bright in the artificial light surrounding them. Unable to help himself, Aomine leans forward, surprising Kise with a soft and lingering kiss. Against his lips, he feels the model smile, and the bluenette inwardly beams. When Aomine pulls away, Kise blushes a pretty pink while smiling a giddy little grin. The stupid expression causes Aomine to smile too, and he marvels at how Kise can make such a face after every kiss. It's like each brush of their lips is something to be treasured for Kise; while this makes Aomine happy, it confuses him at the same time. If just simple kisses make the other happy, why not have more?

"You give me too much credit, idiot." Aomine murmurs.

"Mn. I think it's Aominecchi who doesn't give himself enough credit." Kise says, glancing down at the power forward's lips briefly before looking back up and in to blue eyes.

"Is that so?" Aomine hums contentedly.

"Yeah." Kise smiles, placing his hands on the power forward's biceps before leaning up. After a tentative brush of their lips, the model pulls away just enough to speak and says, "Because no one can make me feel like Aominecchi does."

With that, Aomine feels all that remains of his self-restraint fall away. When he crushes his lips with Kise's, the blonde laughs softly through his nose, arms moving to wrap around his neck. The action spurs on a need for Aomine to hold Kise closer—as close as possible, and he grasps on to the model tightly, arms pulling the other in to a strong embrace.

Of course no one can make Kise feel like Aomine makes the idiot feel. No one feels as strongly towards the model as Aomine, and Aomine firmly believes that Kise feels the same towards him, because _no one _is able to make him feel like this—only Kise.

When the blonde doesn't pull away, Aomine ventures to push further by running his tongue along Kise's bottom lip and sneaking his hand under the other's shirt to rest a top the smooth skin of Kise's side. Doing this though, causes the model to pull away. Kise turns his head with a small, quiet gasp, burrowing his face in to Aomine's shoulder. The hands that were once wrapped around his neck shift to remove the hand Aomine had slowly been sneaking towards the blonde's chest, silently telling him that Kise has had enough, even though Aomine hasn't. Tentatively, the bluenette moves forward, pulling Kise's body forward with a guiding hand on the hip before lowering his head to press a light kiss to Kise's cheek and the back of a sharp jawline.

A shudder racks up Kise's body at the combined warmth of their bodies and the feather-like touches, but the affectionate and coaxing kisses do little to get Kise in to a mood for experimentation. Instead, Kise pushes him lightly away with a breathy reminder that they need to finish cooking. With how Kise sounds, and with the way the model blushes appealingly, Aomine can't repress from groaning loudly. He keeps his hold on Kise, dropping his head to the other's shoulder in disappointment.

"I don't get it. Why won't you let me do anything?" Aomine complains, huffing softly when Kise decides to pat his back comfortingly. Mindful that the model doesn't have anywhere to balance himself, Aomine steadies his boyfriend while leaning in to him for support. Does Kise not realize what he does to Aomine? He feels like he's going insane!

"We do a lot." Kise murmurs, swaying just slightly when Aomine rests his weight on him.

"You know what I mean, idiot." Aomine sulks.

If possible, Aomine had wanted to avoid Satsuki's advice of actually talking about the matter. It's embarrassing and has the potential to become awkward, but he really needs to know now. Is it him? Does he turn Kise off to the idea? Has he made Kise uncomfortable somehow? Aomine knows that the blonde is reserved about intimacy, but he can't live without knowing why or when Kise will get over it. The bluenette has never been a particularly patient person, and he needs to know what goes through his boyfriend's head. Aomine can't live anymore while thinking the following day will be better, because obviously it won't be—it's been three months!

"Aominecchi," Kise whines, and Aomine has to repress a shudder when blonde hair brushes against and tickles his skin.

"I'm not trying to pressure you or anything—just tell me what's going on." Aomine grunts, breathing deeply in an attempt to curb his anxieties.

"It's—it's _really_ stupid, Aominecchi." The model complains.

"It's not." Aomine says, finally lifting his head from Kise's shoulder to look down in to amber eyes. A part of him expects Kise to look down, but the blonde meets his gaze; the other seems to search the power forward's expression to see if Aomine will let him off the hook, but Aomine remains resilient. Honesty and communication is what makes for a good relationship, among other things, and Aomine refuses to let Kise or himself run away from a matter that becomes more pressing by the day. If Aomine were to let his urges get the better of him—if he were to make Kise feel bad about whatever it is the model is feeling—Aomine would never forgive himself. He wants to avoid a scenario like that as much as possible.

The model's eyes continue to waver, looking conflicted and reluctant; anxiously, a lower lip is bitten, and when Kise opens his mouth to speak, his gaze lowers ashamedly, "I'm just nervous, I guess."

"Why?" Aomine asks, brows rising in surprise. Regardless of his knowledge of Kise's reservations, hearing from the model's mouth that he's nervous is unexpected. Aomine says, "It's just me."

"Why do you think I'm so nervous?" Kise pouts, chancing a glance up at his boyfriend.

"Do you think I'll take it too far or something?" Aomine presses, "You know I'd never hurt you or anything."

"I know, I know." Kise says, pushing some of his fringe behind his ear in a nervous gesture. "I trust Aominecchi, but I'm still nervous."

"I don't understand why." Aomine mutters, scratching the nape of his neck. Try as he might, he just doesn't _get it_. What is there to be nervous about if their trust in each other is mutual? He adds, "It's not like you're the shy type or anything."

"That's true," Kise says, pausing briefly before starting up again, "It's just that—I want to, but I'll probably be bad at it and—"

"You've always been quick to learn." Aomine interrupts, an eager smirk pulling at his lips until his boyfriend glares at him. He raises his hands in response, as if to say 'what?' and Kise rolls his eyes.

"_And_," Kise stresses, but seems to lose his sternness when the following words catch in his throat. Seeing his boyfriend unable to speak, Aomine tilts his head slightly, wondering what's wrong. Usually Kise is all right with talking like this, or in any way, but now the blonde seems to struggle. The tips of Kise's ears burn pink, and Aomine notes that the model fidgets with his shirt. Before Aomine can prompt the other, Kise breathes deeply and says, "And once we start doing this, we're going to have to go further, and further, and I'm not… ready… for _that_. Yet."

Since they've started dating, and even before, they've never spoken of sex. Of course Aomine thinks about it more often than not, but to actually talk about it out loud—it's fucking _embarrassing_. Even if he hasn't spoken a word, Aomine can feel his face heat up. The power forward understands why his boyfriend struggled to speak now; Aomine can't even think of a way to respond to Kise's words. Regardless, he has to calm the blonde down and reassure Kise that everything is going to be okay, that nothing has to happen right away.

Aomine breathes loudly through his nose before opening his mouth to say something. No words come out, and Aomine runs a hand through his hair while trying to collect his thoughts. In front of him, Kise hops around while trying to balance himself, having nothing to grab on to. Seeing this, the bluenette sighs and hoists his boyfriend off the ground, wrapping his arms securely beneath the model's rear. Any other time, Aomine would slap Kise's ass and deal with the consequences, but the mood isn't right so he reluctantly refrains. Instead, he deposits Kise on to the counter beside their forgotten food. He rests his hands on either side of his boyfriend and looks up at him before saying, "Nothing will happen until we're ready, okay?"

"But—" Kise starts, but Aomine stops the protest with a loud groan and dramatic step back. Will this idiot not just accept his thoughtfulness? Aomine is trying his best not to take advantage of the situation; can his boyfriend not just go with it?

"But _nothing_, moron. When we're ready, we're ready." Aomine says, resting his hands on his hips as he paces a small distance. When he turns around, Kise looks at him with wide amber eyes. He huffs, "Look at you; I spoil you a bit and you start making a fuss over everything."

The comment causes Kise to smile regardless of the problem before them, and the tension in Aomine's body immediately fades. Kise says, "That's because I want to be able to spoil Aominecchi too."

They're moving forward at different speeds; it's become apparent to Aomine and he realizes that Kise notices too, and that Kise desperately wants to catch up. The power forward isn't sure if it's because of him, or because of guilt, or because Kise is stupid and eager and has a habit of chasing after anything in front of him, but Aomine needs to somehow get the model to relax. Sure he wants Kise to be where he is, but he doesn't want the blonde to force himself to do something he's uncomfortable with.

"How about you finish cutting those onions then?" Aomine suggests lightly. For a moment, Kise still looks guilty, but the expression is quickly hidden behind a laugh and request for help down from the counter.

"Was it really that bad?" Kise asks, hopping to where Aomine had earlier been cutting the vegetables after being assisted down.

"It was awful, asshole." Aomine says, saddling up to the model's side while leaning his back against the counter. As they continue preparing and cooking their meal, they slip in to easy conversation about their future again. Kise asks about schools that he's interested in, and if there's a possibility of receiving a scholarship for sports. It's the perfect opportunity for Aomine to admit that he already has one, but he only gets as far as scoffing and commenting on how sports are more of an American thing before chickening out completely.

* * *

Eventually they find themselves on his couch, watching a random movie that Aomine doesn't think either of them pays attention to. Kise curls against his side, head rested against his shoulder, and all Aomine can focus on is his boyfriend. Even if he wants to ravish the blonde, he wants this too. Simple moments: cuddling in front of the television, eating together, eventually falling asleep until at some point one of them jolts awake from the sudden remembrance that Kise was supposed to have left hours ago. He turns slightly, pressing a kiss to the top of Kise's head and breathes.

"Are you sure about modeling?" He asks, because he's still curious—still needs to know where Kise stands with his feelings for the future.

"Mhm." Kise hums contentedly.

"You aren't doing this because of your mom, right?" Aomine presses. He knows how much influence that woman has on Kise's life; if she's stifling any of Kise's dreams, the bluenette wants to somehow encourage the other to do more.

"Maybe a bit." Kise says after a moment's contemplation. The model shifts to look up at him with a relaxed smile and continues, "It would be for me too though."

"Do you enjoy it?" Aomine asks, tone skeptical. It's difficult for him to imagine wanting to work in such a harsh industry.

"Well, it's not basketball," Kise chuckles, returning his focus to the flashing screen before them. "Sometimes the models can be unpleasant; the industry itself is demanding too."

"So it's awful?" Aomine questions as he raises a brow.

Kise laughs, "No, no. It's really nice! I enjoy it. Why are you so concerned?"

"I don't know," Aomine huffs. "We've never actually talked about your work; I don't want you to get caught up in something that sucks."

"We've really never talked about it?" Kise asks in surprise, once again turning to look up at Aomine. The power forward simply nods, because any conversation they've had about the blonde's modeling has been limited to when the shoots are and for how long. Aomine grimaces at that—he probably should have tried at least asking _how_ they went.

"Not really." Aomine says.

"Oh." Kise says, glancing down as he contemplates before beaming up at Aomine. "Maybe I can take Aominecchi to a shoot one day!"

"What does that have to do with what we're talking about?" The power forward asks, frowning slightly. Call him judgmental, but he doesn't want to be around a bunch of twigs and makeup.

"Aominecchi would be able to see that I'm happy as a model." Kise says with a grin, twisting himself so that he doesn't have to strain his neck to look up at his boyfriend. Somehow Kise ends up half in the bluenette's lap, and Aomine rolls his eyes as the other continues with a playful and posy wink. "I'd be able to show off for my boyfriend too. Aominecchi just has to promise not to get jealous and cause a scene."

"Ah?" Aomine grunts. What goes on that would give him reason to be jealous? He doesn't like the sound of that, but Kise laughs at his disgruntled expression and he figures that it's probably nothing.

Seeing Kise talk about his work mesmerizes him; it's not often that he sees the blonde talk about something so avidly, and he thinks that maybe focusing on modeling won't be a bad thing for Kise. If it makes the other this happy—Aomine has no complaints. He continues with a scoff, "As if I would get jealous."

"Aominecchi is totally the jealous type," Kise teases.

"What happened to being the best?" Aomine asks, readjusting his boyfriend to sit in the open space between his legs instead of on his thigh. Once moved, Kise relaxes back in to the arm of the couch and chuckles.

"Aominecchi is that too."

* * *

It's obvious that he needs to say something. The atmosphere of the entire set is tense, and there's minimal chatter aside from the photographer giving light orders on where to stand and how he'd like for them to pose. The makeup artist that powders his face glances cautiously to the side, and Kise follows the woman's gaze to where his mom sits with opened folders and scattered papers across her lap and a cell phone wedged between her ear and shoulder. Even though her voice is kept courteously hushed, she fidgets agitatedly and occasionally looks around in exasperation.

"Close your eyes," The makeup artist says, and while she expertly adds liner to his upper lid, Kise tries to think of how he can comfort his mother.

Lately she's been busier with work; it's good, and he knows that the added workload gives her a feeling of accomplishment, but he's worried. Kise feels as if his mom has too much on her plate—what with juggling Kise and his problems plus her own. A soft sigh escapes him; would it be okay for him to express his concerns? Would she brush him off? She's done so on numerous occasions, but maybe now that he's older she'll listen.

"Mom?" The blonde calls, once the woman has ended her call and sits scribbling down something on to an already filled page of notes.

"What is it, Ryouta?" She asks, voice tired. Before Kise has a chance to continue talking, a phone starts vibrating; when his mom looks at the screen, she clicks her tongue before putting the call to voice mail. Tired brown eyes turn to look at him, and Kise tries offering her a small smile that she doesn't have the energy to return.

"You seem stressed out." Kise says, head tilting when suddenly his hair starts getting pulled. Behind him, he hears the stylist complaining about how the director of the shoot is ridiculous for suddenly having a change of vision right before their shoot is to start.

"Oh, it's nothing. Don't worry about it, Ryouta." She says dismissively, and Kise frowns.

"Mom." He says more sternly, causing her to look up at him again. When she sees that he really wants to discuss the matter, she sighs and takes off her glasses, rubbing the bridge of her nose while placing the spectacles on to her paperwork.

"What is it, Ryouta?" The woman asks tiredly.

"I'm worried about you." Kise says slowly, foot shifting nervously against the foot stand of the chair he sits in. When he gathers his courage and thoughts, he glances at the other and continues in an earnest voice, "I'll be fine on my own here, if you want to focus on your work."

"No—it's okay. I want to be here for you. Don't worry—" His mother starts, but before she can add another word, Kise interrupts.

"You're my mom; of course I'm going to worry." Kise chuckles. The stylist behind him finishes, and he takes the opportunity to approach his mom while the other models are worked on. Awkwardly, he bends at his waist in order to ensure their conversation be more private. The blonde smiles brightly and adds, "I'll be fine anyways; it's not like I'm new to the business anymore. You've raised me to be able to handle more than something like this."

The compliment makes his mother visibly brighten. Although her smile shows her exhaustion, it shows her pride in him, which causes him to smile widely in return. Gracelessly, he stumbles in to a crouch; it's tiring on his right leg, but he leans against his mom's legs for support. The woman briefly lowers her gaze to her paperwork before looking in to his eyes. It's probably unfair of him to look at her with the puppy eyes he does, but it causes her to relent and gather her work materials.

"I really am sorry, Ryouta." His mother says, offering the blonde an apologetic look.

"Mom," Kise drawls as he stands up, placing both of his hands on his hips. "I'm seventeen already; you can rely on me a bit more. Please? You shouldn't have to stress yourself out over everything."

There's a brief moment in which his mom doesn't respond, but eventually she nods and agrees. It surprises Kise that she goes along with his plea so quickly, and as he watches her walk away, heels clicking quietly against the ground, the model thinks it's because she's exhausted.

It's not that she regrets having Kise, but trying so hard for so long? The blonde can understand where her weariness comes from. Even if the woman is overbearing most of the time, it's because she wants Kise to have the best. She's equally hard on herself, constantly overworking herself to provide him a comfortable and stable lifestyle. It's the least Kise can do to work just as hard to placate her fears for his future, when she can't be around to help him.

'I really am spoiled,' Kise thinks to himself, but at the same time he realizes that in addition to being spoiled, he's incredibly _loved_. His mom, Aomine, and his friends—

A smile pulls at his lips.

"Are you ready to go, Kise-san?" One of the set workers asks, and when Kise nods she helps him to where the photographer wants him to be in the shot. The model knows that he isn't mature or smart or selfless like those surrounding him, but he knows that he's capable of working harder than anyone else. Kise will make everyone proud, especially his mom. Maybe if he proves himself with this shoot, she'll share her burden with him. Maybe she'll even trust him to go on that trip with Aomine!

'Ah, I wish I could introduce them.' He thinks sadly. It would be amazing to have his two most important people meet, but he knows that it would end badly. Kise's mom is too quick to judge, and Kise knows that she would think Aomine would lead him down the wrong path. It happened back in middle school, and Kise knows that her opinions are hard to change. If only she could have seen what Aomine's done for him though; she would surely love him.

* * *

"And—what I mean to say is—I really like you, Kise-kun!" The girl before him exclaims, face flushed and hands trembling from nerves. She's small, cute, and looks ready to start crying; a part of him feels bad for having to reject her, but he tries to let her down as easily as possible by offering her an apologetic smile. Although it causes her to swoon, it's obvious that she understands that rejection is inevitable.

"Thank you," Kise starts, and the underclassman's shoulders slump in defeat at his tone. It's funny how his expression or the inflection of his voice can affect people, and how when coupled with body language can tell more than words ever could. Without even hearing his explanation, the girl is already backing down. Even if it's horrible of the blonde, stating his reason for refusing is his favorite part of being called out for confessions. It's Kise's favorite because instead of saying that he's not ready, he's able to proudly say, "but there's someone else that I like."

Namely one Aomine Daiki, the world's most handsome, wonderful, sweet boyfriend in the history of forever—who stands peeping behind the corner. Again.

"That person is really lucky," The girl says, sounding only slightly bitter like most of the other girls Kise has spoken with in the past. She continues with a forced smile, "Kise-kun must really like her; you seem so happy!"

Kise laughs, scuffing one of his crutches over the ground. They exchange a few more words in which the girl attempts to find out who the competition is, and although Kise wouldn't mind saying, he doesn't want to crush her. There really is no competition between Aomine and anyone else, after all. So she leaves empty handed, and Kise sighs wistfully before turning to look at where his boyfriend hides.

"Aominecchi, haven't we talked about how inconsiderate it is to eavesdrop on a girl's heartfelt confession?" Kise asks, hopping over to meet Aomine half way down the hall they stand in.

"Ah, it's not a big deal. It's all the same time after time anyways." Aomine shrugs.

"Still." Kise says, taking another step towards his boyfriend until there are only a few inches between them. Amber eyes admire a broad chest before glancing up teasingly through long lashes at Aomine. A playful smile pulls at his lips as he asks, "Could it be Aominecchi is insecure and needs to be reassured by my refusal of others?"

"Ah? As if I'd be insecure, pretty boy." Aomine smirks. "I just like to hear that there's someone else."

"Aominecchi likes knowing that he has what others don't have a chance at." Kise grins. Even though the blonde had once admitted he didn't like being smothered, he's discovering that he loves his boyfriend's subtle possessiveness. It's nice and comforting, and keeps the blonde feeling secure and warm. Kise has yet to feel such primal feelings, but he wonders if they would make Aomine feel similarly, or simply make the other annoyed.

"Yeah," The bluenette hums, and when Aomine leans down to close the distance between them, Kise pushes himself up on to his toes to meet the other. The model hears a soft sound of footsteps though, and quickly pushes Aomine away right as a girl rounds the corner. Blue eyes widen in surprise at the appearance of the newcomer, and Kise holds his breath, hoping that she hadn't seen anything.

"Aomine-kun! I've been looking everywhere for you." The girl complains in exasperation. She places a hand a top the hip she juts out and continues, eyelids lowering in a sultry come-hither look that Kise has had to give a camera too many times to not notice. It causes him to raise his brows curiously, because _what_ is going on?

"Go away; you're too persistent." Aomine grunts, frowning in annoyance. The girl pouts at the response, and Kise laughs while patting the power forward's back.

"Don't be rude, Aominecchi. Just hear her out." Kise says. His boyfriend grumbles that he doesn't want to, but the girl quickly agrees with him before tugging at Aomine's arm to go somewhere more private. The physical contact, no matter how quickly Aomine shrugs off, causes Kise's stomach to turn. He doesn't like how that girl walks so close to his boyfriend, and how she looks at him or talks to him.

Regardless of what Kise had said earlier, he finds himself taking a step after the pair. It couldn't hurt to listen to what's going on, right? So Kise quietly follows after his boyfriend, and when he finds the staircase they stand at, he hides in a place he won't be noticed, but is still close enough to hear the exchange. What he hears almost blows his cover though, for he nearly drops his crutches from shock. Luckily he manages to catch them, but his hands tremble and his body suddenly feels too hot.

"Lately you've been so boring; I want to have sex again." The girl had said.

"Go find someone else then; I'm not interested." Aomine snaps. The rejection is a comfort to the blonde, but he can't help but to be shaken up over the exchange. Sex? Why would a girl suddenly ask Aomine for that? And she had said 'again'. Does that mean that it had—

The blush that takes over his face burns, and Kise hurries away from where he hides. How come he had never known about this? When had it even happened? Was it before they were together? Kise trusts Aomine, but what if the other had finally gotten fed up with his slow pace with their physical intimacy and sought it elsewhere? No, no—Aomine would never do that to him. Kise breathes, trying to calm himself down as he hurries through the halls. When he makes it back in to his classroom, he immediately spots Sakurai and charges towards him, tripping on a desk and chair before giving up on crutches completely and hopping the rest of the way. The brunette turns back to look at the commotion, and yelps when he suddenly has a face full of Kise.

"K-Kise-kun!" Sakurai gasps, leaning back to add space between them. Upon noticing his panicked expression though, the brunette leans forward, lips pulled down in to a concerned frown. "Are you okay?"

The blonde can do little more than shake his head to and fro. He doesn't quiet know if he's okay or not; he can barely breathe! Sakurai manages to calm him down though, and once they're seated across from one another, Kise runs his hand through his hair anxiously while trying to figure out how to phrase this newfound bit of information. Should he come out and say it? Would it be weird to mention how his boyfriend has had sex with some girl and he didn't know about it?

"Um. I don't know what happened, but Kise-kun seems to be thinking very hard." Sakurai starts slowly; at the sound of the other's voice, Kise looks up with wide eyes. His friend offers him a comforting smile and says, "You can tell me what's wrong."

"Aominecchi is having sex." Kise states, and when the words leave his mouth, the model immediately slaps his hands over his mouth and flushed cheeks.

"With…" Sakurai begins, motioning to the blonde.

Kise quickly shakes his head and adds, "No. It was with this girl? I don't know—she asked why Aominecchi has been so boring lately and that she wants to… you know… again and then—Aominecchi said no, of course, but—ah, I don't know what to think!"

"Oh." Sakurai says, sighing softly. The brunette had tensed upon being told that said person wasn't Kise, but seems relaxed again. Kise doesn't understand _why_, considering the model's relationship is suddenly eerily similar to one of the many dramas he watches with Momoi.

"That's it? Sakurai-kun!" Kise whines.

"Oh! No, no! This is nothing to worry about, Kise-kun." Sakurai says reassuringly. With how earnest the other's expression is, the blonde finds himself relaxing, although he still fidgets nervously. When he continues staring, silently asking for Sakurai to elaborate, the brunette continues, "Well, you know. Aominecchi got around our first year. That girl was probably just one of the girls he used to hook up with. Of course he stopped when you two started dating though!"

"What?" Kise asks, clearly exasperated and unaware of such things. His boyfriend used to have sex with people last year? When? They were usually together, for the most part, so how?

"Kise-kun… didn't know?" Sakurai gapes, and with an expression like that Kise realizes that the matter must not have been a secret, and that he simply didn't catch on. Sakurai continues, fidgeting awkwardly, "Uhm. Well. Do you remember all those times Aomine-kun would go to the roof?"

"No way." Kise says, eyes wide.

Sakurai merely nods, and Kise leans back in his chair as he tries to process the information. If all those times Aomine had gone to the roof to do those sorts of things, then Aomine must be really experienced. No wonder his boyfriend is so eager to move forward! Suddenly Kise feels more embarrassed than before, and he lowers his head as he scratches at his hair in an attempt to ease his nerves. Unlike what he had previously thought, Aomine isn't a virgin. His boyfriend is more mature than him in even another aspect of life, and Kise bites his lower lip anxiously.

"Are you angry?" Sakurai asks cautiously.

"About what?" Kise asks, looking up at his friend.

"That Aomine-kun has… been with other people." Sakurai says.

"Huh? Oh, no. Of course not." Kise replies immediately, not even pausing to think. "We weren't even together then; wouldn't it silly to be upset? I'm just—um… ah! I'm so embarrassed!"

Kise drops his head down to the desk, burying it in his arms while shaking his head. After a moment, he turns his head with a sigh. Sakurai peers over at him, asking if he's all right. Of course Kise is fine, but he's flustered. He murmurs embarrassedly, "I don't know. Aominecchi has told me that we'll wait until I'm ready, but now I know that he has needs that he's used to having fulfilled and—I'm still not ready to do that. I really want to make Aominecchi happy, but…"

"If Aomine-kun said that he would wait, he will." Sakurai reassures him. "Don't pressure yourself in to doing what you aren't comfortable with, just because you want to please Aomine-kun, or anyone, for that matter."

The blonde sighs, once again hiding his face from sight. It doesn't matter if he knows that Aomine will wait for him; Kise doesn't _want_ to make Aomine wait. He can't help not being ready though.

* * *

Something is off. Lately, Kise has been strange. The blonde jumps whenever Aomine calls his name, and when the other catches him staring, Kise is always quick to look away. His boyfriend shies away from Aomine's touches, invites third wheels on to their dates, and _shit_ Aomine is sick of it. They have a week before their third year starts, and he doesn't want to spend it being avoided by the one person he should be enjoying it with!

It isn't like Kise to be so awkward; Aomine honestly can't think of anything that could have bothered the other. Ever since their talk on the courts nearly a month ago, Kise's injury and depression hasn't been an issue. Could it be about their conversation a few weeks ago about furthering their relationship? It can't be that Kise is still nervous about that; they've talked about it, and the blonde knows that Aomine will wait. If not that, then what? Was it their talk about the future? Is it the open invitation to take Kise to visit his parents?

As Aomine lays on his couch, staring up at his ceiling blankly, he wonders if maybe Kise just doesn't want to be in a relationship. When the thought crosses his mind, he's quick to scoff; Kise and he aren't so weak that they would fall apart without reason! Even with reason, Aomine doubts he would let go of the model easily. No fucking way. So Aomine continues to lie there pondering. Kise is somewhere in the apartment, having run away after Aomine had pinned the other down to the couch in an attempt to initiate a kiss. It had been an experiment to see if Kise would force him away even if his kisses were innocent, and yeah. He'd been pushed away _hard_.

With a sigh, Aomine throws his arm over his eyes. Obviously he needs to go find Kise and talk this matter out. He probably should have gone to find the blonde right after, but he figures allowing Kise some time to calm down would work just as well.

A grunt escapes him as he pulls himself from the couch, and the bluenette begins a trek through his apartment to find his boyfriend. It doesn't take much effort to find the model; Kise stands at the kitchen counter, fidgeting anxiously with his fingers. Upon hearing him, amber eyes briefly glance at him before returning to the counter. It's uncomfortably quiet, and Aomine breathes loudly through his nose while slowly walking towards his boyfriend.

"Do you want to talk about it, or something?" Aomine asks, mindful to not touch Kise while the other is so sensitive.

"I know that Aominecchi has had sex before." Kise blurts, and Aomine can feel his eyes widen and his face flush. Sure, his past shenanigans are nothing to be ashamed of, but he also realizes that they're nothing to be proud of either. Not knowing what to do, the power forward shuffles while rubbing the nape of his neck.

"You mad?" Aomine asks.

"No." Kise murmurs, slowly turning to look at him. The blonde turns his gaze away just as slowly, and after a moment, Kise takes a deep breath and turns to face him completely. Amber eyes peer up at him from beneath long lashes and blonde bangs, and Kise continues, "It was surprising, sure, but it's not like we had been together at the time."

The answer surprises Aomine. He had expected for Kise to be upset about the matter and to get jealous, but the blonde handles the matter with maturity Aomine hadn't been aware the other had. It makes him want to smile with pride, but he keeps his expression neutral. Aomine asks, "So why have you been avoiding me if you aren't angry?"

"Because—I hadn't thought you were so… experienced." Kise murmurs, and Aomine can't bite back the snicker at the offhand compliment. His actions earn him a glare, but Aomine can't help himself. The blonde continues, "Shut up! It's just…now that I know, I'm _really_ embarrassed."

"About me?" Aomine questions, raising a brow inquisitively.

"No!" Kise exclaims, "About me, because I haven't done anything and Aominecchi has and Aominecchi probably really wants to but I'm holding us back and—"

"Hey," Aomine says, taking a step forward and placing his hands easily on Kise's hips. Unlike the past couple weeks, the model doesn't try to worm out of his hold; in fact, Kise seems to fall in to him. Aomine continues, "I told you I'd wait. Don't worry about stupid things."

"It's not stupid." Kise grumbles, lifting his head from Aomine's chest.

"Fine, it's not, but I don't think you have to mull over it so much." Aomine huffs as he hoists his boyfriend from the ground to walk him over to the table. The power forward lowers the other on to the sturdy surface and takes the open seat in front of Kise. When he sits, he comfortably rests his forearms on Kise's knees while looking up in to a bothered expression. "I've said it before; when you're ready, we'll go further."

"But what about Aominecchi? Don't you want to do more?" Kise asks. It's a hard decision on what to do; he can either lie that he's not in a rush to fool around with his boyfriend, or he can be honest and admit that he wants nothing more than to push Kise down on to the tabletop and ravish him senseless. The 'best boyfriend' route would be to reassure Kise, but Aomine has never been that great of a guy.

He sighs, "Of course I do, idiot."

Admitting the truth causes Kise to shift anxiously, and blue eyes narrow, causing the other to stop. In a steady voice, Aomine continues, "I want to do all sorts of things to you—_with you_, got it? Horny as I may be though, I have a hand—"

"Aominecchi," Kise complains, blushing embarrassedly at the bluenette's vulgarity.

"So don't feel pressured just because I've fucked around a bit. Whenever we get around to doing anything, I want it to mean something to the both of us." Aomine concludes, rubbing the skin of Kise's hand that he holds with a calloused thumb. When he finishes, the blonde holds his hand more tightly, and when Aomine looks up, Kise is grinning.

"That was too romantic, Aominecchi." Kise chuckles, but there's an appreciative look in amber eyes that assures Aomine the matter at hand isn't being laughed off, and has for the most part been settled.

"Is it turning you on at all?" Aomine asks, looking up at his boyfriend lewdly and with a sultry smirk. The comment should earn him a flustered hand to the face that shoves him away, but before that can happen Aomine snickers and stands from his seat. After patting the other's leg, he begins to walk back to the living room, "Come on, let's find a movie to watch or something. There's actually a game recorded too—Kagami said it was pretty goo—huh?"

A tug at his sleeve stops him, causing Aomine to look back. Kise gazes up at him, and the look that he's given causes the bluenette's heart to beat harshly in his chest and a heat to coil low in his abdomen.

"It is." Kise breathes, watching him earnestly. A while ago, Aomine had learned the pattern of his boyfriend's breath; it's usually deep, stable, but now the other's chest neither rises nor falls. The air simply remains lodged in the model's throat along with a plethora of nerves.

Gingerly, Aomine takes a step forward and places his hand on the side of Kise's neck. The model leans in to the familiar touch, and Aomine swipes his thumb over smooth skin to help ease any of his boyfriend's anxieties. Kise's hands are cold from where they move to rest on top of his shoulders; before Aomine thinks of initiating anything, he reaches back to hold those hands, lowering them to the table entwined around one another.

Their kiss isn't nearly as heated as Aomine had always imagined it being, but it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter that he can't feel up his boyfriend at all, because right now Aomine is happy with holding Kise's hands. His back aches from bending over, but that doesn't matter either, because Kise holds his hands tighter while pressing forward for more. The model runs his tongue over Aomine's lower lip, surprising the bluenette because holy fuck—Kise just copied his technique and what? Regardless of the surprise, Aomine finds himself smiling, leaning slightly forward because he has no plans on taking a back seat to his boyfriend.

It amuses him how Kise sucks at kissing, outside of the whole initiation thing. Being the best boyfriend he is, he'll tease the other, but for now he'll laugh, because Kise pulls away with a gasp, burrowing his head in to Aomine's shoulder as he breathes.

"That all you got, pretty boy?" Aomine taunts, and Kise pulls back to glare at him.

"I should be asking Aominecchi that." Kise starts, a slow and playful smirk pulling at his lips. " If so, some of my reservations were for naught."

"Ah!? I was romancing you still; do you want me to skip straight to the ravishing?" Aomine asks, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend to draw him closer.

Instead of accepting the challenge, Kise smiles and hugs him. It makes Aomine sigh pleasantly and return the gesture. Because he is how he is, he had been hoping Kise would agree, but fears and reservations don't vanish so quickly. Eager as he is, Aomine realizes this.

"Can I admit something?" Kise asks, voice muffled slightly by his chest.

"That you're star struck by my 'experience'?" Aomine snickers, causing Kise to whine and shove him away. The bluenette continues chortling, moving to sit in the chair he had earlier abandoned. "Fine, what is it?"

"I may have been a bit motivated by jealousy?" Kise says, voice inflecting at the end to sound like a question. Aomine wonders if it is—if Kise even knows why he decided to take a chance and do something he had earlier been uncomfortable with.

"Here I was thinking it had been because you wanted to do something meaningful with each other outside of our usual meaningful activities." Aomine huffs, looking entirely displeased and not amused. The joke only lasts for so long though, for Kise's surprised face draws a smile out of the bluenette. "You being jealous may be better though. I like it."

"Seriously?" Kise laughs, lightly scratching just behind his ear in a gesture of embarrassment.

"It's sexy." Aomine smirks.

"Hardly." Kise scoffs.

But it is; it's cute and sexy and makes Aomine feel more special in his boyfriend's eyes. Knowing that Kise gets jealous of others when there's no reason, and knowing that Kise doesn't want anyone else to be with him in the same way that they're together—it's sweet. It leaves Aomine feeling loved, and he loves that.

* * *

Their third year finds them all in the same classroom. Beside her, Aomine complains about how she's too peppy for the first day back to school, and in response she only hums that _finally_ she won't be isolated in a different classroom from her boy friends. As great as girls are, they just aren't Aomine or Kise. Momoi inwardly beams, hooking arms with her childhood friend while bouncing towards their assigned classroom.

"Ah, I'll be able to copy your homework again," Aomine comments as they pass some of her old classmates. After she waves to them, pink eyes turn to glare up at the other.

"You're on your own, Dai-chan." She scoffs, pushing some of her hair behind her ear. The look of annoyance quickly vanishes behind a smile though, and she nudges her friend as she continues, "What are you going to do when I'm not around next year and you're off at some American university, hm?"

Aomine snickers, and Momoi fondly notes how her friend stands taller at the reminder. The bluenette answers, "Who knows? Buy the answers, maybe?"

At the comment, Momoi rolls her eyes and shakes her head. It makes her happy how excited Aomine is about going overseas for basketball, and how serious he is towards this new goal. Of course she'll be sad to see him leave for four years, but it will be good for him. She knows how much he wants this, and it's a comfort to her knowing that her friend will have Kagami with him.

"Don't even." Momoi scolds, and as they round a corner and continue down another hall, she giggles, "Maybe you can help me with English this time around! You've been studying, right?"

"You could call it that." Aomine says, shifting his glance to the side. At the response to her question, Momoi rolls her eyes. Of course leaving Aomine and Kagami to study will end in their not studying. They probably end up playing basketball the whole time!

"Dai-chan!" Momoi scolds, tugging at his arm in an attempt to get her point across. If he doesn't learn, Aomine will definitely flunk out of school; she doesn't care how good he is at basketball.

"_Don't worry,_ _I got this_." Aomine says in smooth English, turning to look down at her with a smirk. It's a reassuring expression, coupled with the words, and Momoi sighs contentedly. She's going to miss this—she definitely is. More than her though, she worries for Kise.

"Have you told Ki-chan yet?" She asks, and Aomine goes awkwardly quiet, turning to focus ahead of them and at their approaching homeroom. Momoi sighs, "Dai-chan, you have to tell him!"

"Shut up, I know that already." Aomine grunts, sliding the door to their classroom open with more force than necessary, "We've just been busy over break; the timing hasn't been—"

"Ryōcchi~!"

The call of Sakurai's given name surprises them both, but as she watches Aomine stomp forward while complaining about the brunette and Kise being on a first name basis, her mind wanders. Before her Sakurai sputters apologies and Kise laughs and explains that they were just deciding what name sounded best. Meanwhile, Aomine fumes with jealousy; it should make her smile in amusement, but her expression remains softened by the knowledge of just how much her best friend adores his boyfriend.

Over the years she's seen Aomine fall in and out of love, but nothing compares to this. Aside from basketball, she can't remember a time in which Aomine's eyes lit up so brightly, or when he would try so hard just to make someone else happy. Her friend is no longer the child he was a few years ago; he's a man now—and seeing how he treats the one he loves… it makes her happy. Momoi believes no one can make Aomine as happy as this.

"Aominecchi, don't be mad at me," Kise whines, body strewn over the desk Aomine sits in. Amber eyes peer up at the power forward pleadingly, but the other stubbornly looks away. Kise groans a bit more, shifting this way and that in another failed attempt to steal Aomine's attention. Finally, Kise stills himself and bites his lip, cheeks flushing softly as he murmurs, "Daiki… cchi?"

The call causes both Aomine and Kise to blush and shift away from one another awkwardly. Momoi smiles though, because later on after class has started, she sees the grins both her friends try to hide.

They're so in love.

* * *

_**A/N:** This story has probably been forgotten so hard, but here's chapter 19 regardless. I apologize for the wait, and I also apologize for any lackluster writing. On another note though, Aomine and Kise's third year has finally arrived, and Kise is steadily coming back to himself. (: There's still quiet a bit ahead, so bear with me!_

_Also, shameless advertisement: there's a new story that I'm writing and a friend is creating companion art pieces for. It's titled Somewhere Only We Know, and is a Peter Pan AU with lots of Aokise. ;) If you have the time, please check it out!_

_Thank you all again for your support! ;u;_


	20. Chapter 20

_**Title: **__Just Breathe (20/?) _

_**Rating: **__M _

_**Pairings: **__Aokise, KagaKuro, ImaSaku _

_**Warnings: **__Unbeta'd, OOCness, cultural inaccuracies, manipulative!Kise_

_**Word Count:**__ 7100 approx. _

_**Summary: **__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time. _

_**A/N: **__Why is everyone so sweet? ;u; Even though I say this like, every chapter, I just can't stress enough how thankful I am for the support. Please enjoy this chapter of Just Breathe!_

* * *

The moment Satsuki sighs when Kise and he discreetly try to hold hands while watching dramas with her, Aomine knows that it's over. Amber eyes look over to where their pink haired friend stares longingly at their entwined fingers, and Aomine just _knows_. It's in the way that Kise's eyes sparkle, and it's in that damn sexy quirk of his boyfriend's lips. It only takes Kise quietly picking up his phone from where it sits beside him for Aomine to realize that he's right—that this is finally happening.

Satsuki is going to get a boyfriend.

Not just any boyfriend either—but someone that _his _boyfriend picks out. Aomine isn't ready for this, damn it! Satsuki isn't supposed to date; he had been sure it was an unspoken law that all of his friends knew about. Apparently not though, because Kise texts Sakurai and Aomine knows they're scheming. Damn them. To air some of his annoyance about the matter, he squeezes Kise's hand harshly; the action causes Kise to jump and glare at him, before squeezing his hand back twice as hard. After he muffles a cry by biting his own tongue, he glares at the other, looking down at Kise's cell before motioning to Satsuki with his head and then shaking it no—no because she _will not _be dating. Not until she's thirty, and that's only if she's lucky.

Catching his drift, Kise scoffs. It really is ridiculous of Aomine to care so much, but this is Satsuki! As far as he's concerned, she's still the little girl that he dragged to the courts to play basketball with him, and she's still the girl that he always put frogs on—only now years later, she has boobs. While something important has changed, it's not _that_ important in the grand scheme of things.

Kise returns to the text though, and Aomine panics, snagging the phone quickly before sliding it across the room towards his desk. Amber eyes widen and turn to look at him in shock, and Aomine huffs while crossing his arms. Behind them on the bed, Satsuki sighs again before standing and excusing herself to go grab some snacks. Both Kise and he watch her go, and the moment the door to Aomine's room shuts, they snap at one another in hushed voices.

"What's wrong with you!?" Aomine seethes, turning to face his boyfriend.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you, Aominecchi! Momoicchi was sighing because of us, you know. She wants a boyfriend too!" Kise says exasperatedly as he starts to crawl towards his phone, "What's wrong with that?"

"She's Satsuki; she doesn't need some guy!" Aomine hisses, bristling at just the idea. "They only bring trouble."

"Uh huh." Kise hums, fixing him with a judging once over before continuing to crawl to where his phone had been tossed.

"Hey," Aomine huffs, and he faintly hears Kise snicker. In retaliation to being made fun of, the bluenette reaches forward and grabs his boyfriend's ankle, pulling the other back before Kise has a chance to grab his phone.

"Aominecchi!" Kise whines, falling on to his stomach as he's pulled across the floor. The model turns back to glare at him, and Aomine struggles not to smile.

"Kise," Aomine says back.

"Come on, Momoicchi just wants the same experience we're having!" The blonde pouts, turning to look at the power forward from over his shoulder. The reasoning is logical and actually makes Aomine feel guilty, but this is Satsuki—there's just too much that can go wrong. What if there's a fight, or even a break up? When Tetsu had broken Satsuki's heart, Aomine had been able to handle it, but again? Hell no. There's no way; comically ugly as the girl may be while she cries, it's still heart wrenching and painful.

"But," Aomine starts.

"Relationships are a part of life, Aominecchi." Kise says, fixing him with a look that causes Aomine to look away with begrudging anxiety. "Learning to trust someone else, and learning to be wholly honest; learning to give as well as take—"

"She can do that with a friend." Aomine grumbles.

"True, but have you ever considered that maybe Momoicchi wants someone who will hold her hand and tell her how beautiful she looks everyday?" Kise asks, crawling to his boyfriend's side to force eye contact. Once he does, the model slowly ends up smiling. "Someone to hold hands with and go on dates with and kiss and love?"

_Love_?

At this, Aomine can't help but be surprised. Is Kise hinting at something? No—it's in his imagination, but damn that sounds nice. It sounds so nice, in fact, that the bluenette feels the heat of a blush spread across his face. Before Kise takes notice though, Satsuki's forgotten phone starts buzzing with an incoming call. Aomine is quick to answer it, and when he hears the girl's dad on the other line, he motions to Kise that he'll be right back before leaving the room.

As he heads towards the kitchen, he talks idly with Satsuki's dad about basketball, and is congratulated for his accomplishments. The reminder of the scholarship causes Aomine to rub the bridge of his nose agitatedly; there are a number of months before he has to make his decision, but he's yet to say anything to Kise. Does everyone know but his own boyfriend?

"Yeah, it's a great opportunity." Aomine murmurs, rounding the corner to the kitchen where Satsuki stands peeling an apple. "Thank you—yeah. Yeah; hang on."

Upon handing the phone to Satsuki, she tilts her head curiously. He offers her a shrug before taking her place and cutting up the fruit. From what he overhears, she has to leave, and when she hangs up, the pink haired girl reaffirms with a sigh that she has to get home for a family dinner with her aunt and uncle, and very much engaged cousin. It's weird to see her so put off—she can't be _that_ sad about not having a boyfriend, right?

"I'll walk you back." Aomine offers, and Satsuki smiles at him as she waves her hand dismissively.

"No, no. I'll be okay!" She exclaims, gathering her things before heading to the door. "Spend time with Ki-chan; I'll see you at school tomorrow."

And then she's gone, and Aomine is left with the haunting realization that his best friend really is unhappy. It makes him feel guilty; he's been so caught up in his own romance that he hadn't even stopped to think about if Satsuki was okay or not. Shit, Aomine is awful. This means that Kise is right though, although he's still unsure about how he feels about the model setting Satsuki up with someone. What if it turns out to be a jerk? What if he ends up getting mad at Kise if anything bad happens?

"Maybe you were right." Aomine huffs as he walks back in to his room. "Don't set her up with a jerk though, okay?"

"Heheh, of course I was right, Aominecchi!" Kise snickers, offering him a wide and teasingly smug grin. The bluenette had expected such a reaction, but rolls his eyes at it anyways as he takes a seat beside the other.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get full of yourself now, pretty boy." Aomine grumbles, and with a loud sigh drops his head to rest against the edge of his bed, "It's just that I want her to be happy, alri—"

And he pauses, because suddenly he has a lap full of boyfriend that straddles him in ways he's only dreamt about, and who smirks seductively and who holds his face between two cool hands while pulling him in to a passionate kiss. It's surprising, sure, but entirely welcome. Aomine smirks to himself, wrapping his arms around Kise to hold him in place before pressing forward, following the other's actions with an equal amount of urgency. When Kise pulls away though, panting and flushed, still holding his face, Aomine notices something he hadn't before—

"Let's get away from here, Aominecchi."

Kise is smiling, but…

"Please."

…it's fake.

* * *

The train they get on leads them to a town nearly five hours away. They have class the following morning, and Aomine has practice he knows he should be at, but he couldn't bring himself to turn down Kise's earnest request—not when his boyfriend had looked at him in such a way. Behind the guise of spontaneity, Aomine had seen traces of fear and uncertainty. Over what, he doesn't know, but he couldn't brush the matter off. So here he is in a train cart, watching his boyfriend who looks out the window at the fading lights of the city. When the other's phone starts ringing, the model glances at it before powering the device off completely; it's then that Kise notices his staring, and the blonde beams up at him.

"I can't believe we're doing this, Aominecchi!" Kise exclaims in a hushed voice, mindful of the dozing people around them. After a quick glance around to make sure no one is looking, the model places his hand a top Aomine's that rests a top the arm rest. The touch makes the power forward look curiously to his boyfriend, who stares down at their hands thoughtfully.

"Not that I mind, but what brought this on?" Aomine asks, entwining his and Kise's fingers with ease.

"Hm?" Kise asks, glancing up at the bluenette before looking down to contemplate the question. The other continues slowly, still piecing together a reason, "It's just—I wanted to spend time with Aominecchi. To make more memories and stuff."

"On a school night though? Don't you have work too? Your mom is going to be so fucking pissed." Aomine says, grumbling slightly near the end upon mentioning the other's mother. She may not know about him being in Kise's life now, but she'll undoubtedly trace this fiasco to him.

"It's fine, isn't it?" Kise mumbles, pouting slightly. "It will be worth it."

Of course it will be; spending any time with his boyfriend will always be worth it, but this isn't a matter of them doing something crazy because they're young and in—no, no. Aomine feels himself blush when suddenly his thoughts get ahead of him, and he clears his throat to ease his own feelings of awkwardness. This isn't about them doing something stupid, it's about Kise running away from something!

"Yeah," He agrees with a hum.

"Maybe some other time we can travel even farther. Like to Europe, or America!" Kise says excitedly, luckily not noticing how Aomine tenses at the mention of the latter continent. Kise continues, "Where would Aominecchi want to go?"

"Ah," The power forward starts, not really knowing how to respond. In the end he decides to be honest, and says, "America doesn't sound too bad, from what I've heard from Kagami."

"So you want to go there?" Kise asks curiously.

"Yeah." Aomine says, "You'd probably want to go to Europe though, huh?"

"No, America could be fun!" Kise says, offering Aomine a grin. The response surprises him, because with how invested Kise has become with modeling, he'd figure that his boyfriend wanted to visit big fashion capitals or something. It makes him smile though—Kise going to America would be great. If that were to happen, it would make leaving Japan easier. Hell, it would make just telling Kise he's leaving easier.

"Maybe we'll both go someday." Aomine says thoughtfully, leaning back in to his seat and closing his eyes.

"Yeah… maybe." Kise hums, clinging to his hand just a little bit more tightly than usual. He continues, "Or—or maybe we can just travel Japan; that'd be fun too, don't you think?"

"Ah? You want to stay here forever?" Aomine asks, cracking one of his eyes open to look at the blonde in surprise. The mere thought is laughable. Kise is too good to stay in one place forever, in Aomine's opinion. If his boyfriend wanted, Aomine knows that Kise could take the world by storm.

"Settling down… doesn't sound so bad." Kise starts slowly, and the pause makes it seem as if Kise isn't even sure of his own words. What his boyfriend says causes Aomine to frown, and he looks to the other with a confused expression. In response, Kise smiles at him and laughs, "Don't look at me like that, Aominecchi; I'm serious!"

"Won't it be hard to settle down with your work? Eventually you'll have to start traveling more." Aomine points out, and Kise shrugs.

"I don't know. I had just thought it would be nice, is all." Kise hums, turning his attention down to his lap. The model scuffs his right foot over the ground, and Aomine notes pleasantly how the tip of Kise's left food moves when the blonde wiggles his toes. Kise continues, voice low and with fidgeting hands, "Seeing Aominecchi off in the mornings, and being able to prepare dinner for when Aominecchi returns from classes. We could—we could decorate together, and fight over who should do the shopping, and stay in bed late when we share days off."

"Wait, wait." Aomine starts, cutting his boyfriend off completely. He doesn't mean to, but Kise's words cause his heart to beat faster and faster, and the power forward can't take it. For a brief moment, Kise stares at him with wide, anxious eyes; when Aomine continues though, an embarrassing stutter to his voice, Kise's anxiety fades in to an expression of relief and excitement, "Y-you want to _move in_ together?"

"Eventually, yeah. Maybe after we graduate or something. Would that be weird?" Kise asks, laughing nervously while pushing some of his fringe behind his ear. Amber eyes peer at him from beneath long eyelashes, and Kise breathes, "I want to be together."

And Aomine grins, because it all sounds so fucking amazing. Of course there would be downsides to living together; they'll probably fight more about stupid shit, but all those things Kise had been talking about? It's exciting; Aomine finds himself looking forward to it.

The only problem is that he won't be in Tokyo—there's no way he could ask Kise to move to America either. Regardless, he offers his boyfriend a playful smirk and says, "It would be nice, though we'd need to set some ground rules."

"Eh? Like what?" Kise asks, grinning at him widely.

"To start, you'll have to keep all your clothes and crap on your side of the closet." Aomine says, snickering at the appalled look on Kise's face.

"Yeah? Well Aominecchi will have to give up some of the space on the DVR." Kise says, and Aomine groans about dramas under his breath, pausing only when Kise continues with a chuckle, "And Aominecchi will have to stop drinking milk from the carton."

"Dirtying cups is troublesome though," He complains, shifting his hand slightly in Kise's hold so that he can massage the smooth skin. The callouses from back when Kise played basketball are still there, but they're softer now; Aomine doesn't mind, but he can't help but to feel down at what the implication to the softer skin means, "Would you be doing dishes?"

"I'm not some housewife; we can do that together." Kise says with a fond eye roll, even though they both know from prior experience that such a thing will lead to a bigger mess.

Because he can, Aomine smirks and says, "That's disappointing. I had been thinking you'd look damn sexy in an apron."

"That's because I would." Kise snickers, and suddenly they find themselves lost in a conversation of chores, color schemes, and their respective bad living habits. They talk about where they would like to live, and how they would spend their holidays; if they want a pet, and which side of the bed they prefer to sleep on. It's stupid and nonsensical, but it makes Aomine happy. It's just that—Kise imagines a _future_ with him; how can he not be happy knowing that? So as his boyfriend continues their conversation, talking about how they could meet during Aomine's breaks for lunch if time permits, he hums at appropriate times, but mostly just admires his boyfriend.

For whatever reason, he thinks of how far they've come since that day Kise was hurt. Before that, they had been becoming strangers, and no matter how pissed he is that Kise's had to suffer through this injury, he's also glad. Aomine is glad because it's given him a chance at this—at getting closer to Kise, at understanding Kise, at having the best damn relationship Aomine has ever had. He's learned so much about the model over the time they've spent together; Kise's habits, Kise's quirks, the pattern of Kise's breaths, and how the location of Kise's blush indicates how he feels. Aomine knows stupid things about Kise; he knows the important things. He's seen Kise strong, and he's seen Kise vulnerable. They were strangers once, and yet here they are, running away together for however fleeting a time.

"A-Aominecchi? What's up?" Kise stutters, pausing in whatever obscene explanation he had been talking about. The model's face is red, and Aomine knows full well that means the other feels embarrassed. With the tender way he looks at Kise, Aomine can understand; he can't bring himself to change his expression though, so he just smirks warmly, watching as Kise flusters and looks out the window.

"Just thinking," Aomine says, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. It's nearing two o'clock in the morning; they'll arrive at the station soon. Once they get there, they'll have to find a hotel. They'll undoubtedly get a room with two beds, but it's nice to imagine sharing just one. Maybe, in the future, they will.

Or maybe they'll share that bed sooner than expected, for once they find a room somewhere and he sleeps as Kise finishes in the shower, a warm body unexpectedly presses against his bare back. The surprise jolts him from his sleep, and he shifts slightly to see Kise snuggled behind him despite the other open bed. Aomine can feel himself blush, and sighs when Kise wraps an arm around his waist while pressing his nose in to his back. With sluggish movements, he fumbles for Kise's hand before beginning to doze off again, only to hear a murmured, "Aominecchi's hair is still wet."

"It's dry enough." He grumbles, not particularly caring about his still damp hair from the shower he had taken earlier. It's fucking late, and he wants to sleep. Kise seems to catch on to his feelings, and lapses in to silence. For a moment, Aomine nods off to the quiet, but is quick to awaken because Kise's breathing hasn't changed. Instead of talking about it though, Aomine just shifts, changing his position while grunting at Kise to roll over. The model seems confused at the sudden order, but once Aomine wraps himself around his boyfriend, holding the other close, Kise smiles before telling Aomine 'goodnight'. Because he's so tired, the bluenette doesn't know if he says it back, but he holds Kise tight, and that's enough.

* * *

There should be more on his mind than there is, like what he'll do once he returns home, and how he'll explain himself. Kise will undoubtedly be in a lot of trouble with his mom, but he can't bring himself to care enough to call her and let her know that he's okay. It's unfair, he knows, but he just can't. If Kise did, he would surely tell her everything.

Quietly, he takes a deep breath. It does nothing to soothe him, and he sighs, leaning tiredly against the railing before him. Sleep evaded him time and again throughout the night; it's kind of hard to sleep when you have something so big on your mind though. Not even matching his breathing to Aomine's had been able to lull him to sleep. In the end though, Kise supposes it's okay. Although the cool morning air nips at his exposed skin, the blonde still feels warm from where Aomine had held him. Kise has burned that feeling in to his head, because he knows it won't last forever.

Because Aomine is leaving.

As if the weight of the world bears down on him, Kise slouches, dropping his head to look at milling people who head to work. He hadn't meant to see those papers—when he had used Aomine's desk as support the previous day to help himself stand, they had fallen out due to his carelessness. Of course he couldn't help but be curious when he saw such an official looking folder. It was wrong of Kise to look, but he feels bad for other reasons entirely.

Behind him, he hears the sound of his boyfriend shifting. The blanket on the bed rustles and drags, and soon after Kise hears footsteps, lethargic and heavy. Although he can turn to greet his boyfriend, Kise waits.

Will Aomine bring up the scholarship now? There won't be any interruptions—it's a prime opportunity. Kise really doesn't want him to though. It's pathetic of him, but Kise would rather not think about how someone so important to him will be _leaving_. Aomine must feel this way too, for his boyfriend says nothing, instead choosing to hold him from behind and wrap the blanket from the bed around them both. After comfortably resting his chin on top of Kise's shoulder, Aomine murmurs, "Come back to bed."

At this, Kise chortles and teases, "So needy."

"Shut up." Aomine grumbles, shifting to rest his forehead against Kise's shoulder. Despite the bluenette's earlier request, Aomine makes no move to cart Kise back to the bed, and instead humors him by standing at the balcony. When a light kiss is brushed over the model's shoulder, Kise shudders, and he feels Aomine turn away to yawn. The power forward says, "Could you not sleep or something?"

"Not really, no." Kise hums, leaning back in to his boyfriend. Amber eyes stare out in to the sky, watching detachedly as the sun steadily rises.

"Something wrong?" Aomine asks.

"No—" Kise starts, pausing only when Aomine gives him a warning squeeze. He corrects himself with a sigh, "Yeah. I was just thinking—we're going to be graduating soon. What happens then?"

For a long moment, Aomine is quiet. Kise is giving him permission to come clean about this university opportunity; the model can almost feel his boyfriend about to speak, but then the power forward withdraws, arms loosening in their hold around him, and blanket shifting until it falls from Kise's person.

"Weren't you the one talking about moving in together?" Aomine asks. The uncertain comment makes Kise bite the inside of his lower lip briefly before he turns to his boyfriend with a wide smile.

Aomine's lying. He's absolutely lying—Kise's not stupid enough to not be able to tell that Aomine's already made his decision.

Aomine is leaving.

* * *

No matter how upset Kise inwardly feels, he acts as if he isn't. It would be wrong of him to be mad at Aomine for doing something the other wants to—Kise can't stifle the power forward like that. It wouldn't be fair. So with this thought, Kise sucks up his hurt and need to talk about their future and focuses on the present, on spending what limited time he has left with his most important person.

After watching the sunrise, Kise had crawled back in to bed with Aomine, sleeping for a precious few hours before the bluenette's grumbling stomach wakes him. While they search for some place to eat, Kise teases the other; in response, Aomine rolls his eyes and Kise smiles, happy that his boyfriend would think of Kise and his need for rest over Aomine's own stomach. It's a sweet and silly gesture, although Aomine claims he wasn't being 'nice,' but rather 'lazy'. The excuse is weak, and Kise knows Aomine knows that he doesn't believe it, but the model lets his boyfriend pretend to be tough.

Their day is spent wandering. They eat when they're hungry, rest when they're tired, and fill the time with light conversation and meaningless banter. Kise avoids talk of the future at all costs, choosing to focus on the present while he still has a chance to enjoy it. Losing this will definitely hurt, but Kise tells himself that if it's what Aomine wants, then he can't complain, no matter how much he finds himself wanting to _plead_.

"Hey," Aomine calls, snapping Kise away from his darkening thoughts. Amber eyes turn to look up at the other, and the blonde beams brightly while swinging forward on his crutches.

"What's up, Aominecchi?" Kise asks, his head tilting to the side curiously.

"Ah, I was just thinking about how we didn't have a chance to view the cherry blossoms this year." Aomine murmurs, looking out in to the distance at a large, strikingly pink park. "Work, remember?"

"Yeah, that sucked." Kise complains lightly, mood dampening slightly at the memory. They had planned for weeks to go see the trees, but interviews and photo shoots kept coming up—by the time Kise was able to find free time, the blossoms had already begun to fall. Regardless of that though, the trees are in bloom in this town! Kise smiles and exclaims, "We should go see them now; what do you think?"

"Yeah." Aomine replies, returning his smile.

They continue walking towards the park, making a minor detour for Aomine to grab another snack. As they continue, Kise talks idly, only pausing every so often when the power forward beside him shoves food at him. They probably look silly, but Kise doesn't care in the least. He accepts the treats Aomine feeds him with zeal and snickers at the other's expression when he purposefully nips at Aomine's fingertip.

"Tease," Aomine grumbles around a smirk. It makes Kise laugh, and as the bluenette wanders off to throw away trash, he sighs wistfully. Aomine has been so patient and kind—he's been sensitive to Kise's needs, going so far as to push away his own just for the model's sake. It's like Aomine is perfect; a part of Kise wishes the other would act selfishly and ravish him, no matter how reserved and cautious the blonde feels and has acted about intimacy. If it's with Aomine, he definitely wouldn't mind.

These stupid thoughts though—even Kise knows, no matter how much he may genuinely want it, that he's just looking for a means to make Aomine stay. If having sex with his boyfriend could persuade the other just slightly…

"Stupid," Kise berates himself under his breath, disgusted with his way of thinking. He's the reason why Aomine has been so patient about sleeping together; using sex as a means to manipulate his own boyfriend? It's pathetic.

If Aomine can be strong enough to put Kise first, then Kise should be able to do the same. He should be able to support Aomine in leaving for America. If he can support his boyfriend playing basketball here, then it should be fine over there as well, right?

"They're just flowers; no need to get so bitter, pretty boy." Aomine says, tone sarcastic. The sudden appearance of his boyfriend causes Kise to start, and Aomine snickers while brushing petals from Kise's hair.

"You know why they're pink, right?" Kise replies, smirking at the power forward widely. The smugness on the other's face quickly vanishes, replaced by a look of horror before Aomine scowls.

"No—don't even start, bastard." Aomine growls, but Kise begins the scary tale of bodies being buried beneath trees regardless. A shudder draws itself up Aomine's spine, and the teen is quick to cover his ears and start humming. For a brief moment, Kise has to laugh at his boyfriend's irrational fears before he pretends to continue the story. Instead of the usual legend though, he continuously says, in a soft, thoughtful voice, "I like you."

With every repetition of the phrase, Kise feels just a little bit warmer. His face flushes, and his gaze drops. Kise's mind strays, and he thinks about how, soon enough, he won't be able to say these words to Aomine in person. He won't be able to say anything to Aomine; will they even stay together? Long distance is difficult, isn't it? Damn, he really wants Aomine to stay—Kise will miss him too much.

No, no! Be happy! Smile; Aomine would smile for you, and he would support you. Be a good boyfriend, damn it!

"I like you," Kise says again, and this time his voice cracks. The fact his voice does this, snaps him from his thoughts; with a surprised expression, he turns to look at Aomine, who stares at him with a matching expression, hands pulled slightly away from his ears. The fact that the other had been listening to him flusters the model, and Kise's complexion quickly reddens from embarrassment. He can't look away though; it takes Aomine pulling him by his shirt for him to overcome the shock. When he does, he tries to laugh off the situation, but before he can, he's forced back in to the trunk of a tree that's surrounded and hidden by numerous others.

"Aominecch—" The blonde starts in confusion, but then lips press firmly against his and it doesn't matter. Kise lets go of his crutches, not noticing or caring how they fall and clatter to the ground, and wraps his arms around Aomine's neck, digs his fingers in to thick blue hair. Neither of them considers that they may be seen—it doesn't matter. What matters is them; what matters are these feelings they share for each other; what matters is that Aomine is _here_ with _him_, that he hasn't _gone_ anywhere.

There's a brief moment in which Aomine pulls away for air, but breathing is unimportant right now, so Kise presses forward, molds their lips together and guides Aomine's tongue in to his mouth. Aomine needs no further encouragement, gladly takes the lead and cups the side of Kise's face and neck, while his other hand squeezes Kise's hip, lifting the model's shirt just slightly to rub his thumb in small circles over the bone.

The various sensations make him gasp and shudder; it's great, but overwhelming. Coupled with the thoughts that plague him—it's just _too much_. As if sensing this, Aomine withdraws, slows down the speed of things by placing feather light kisses to his jaw, his neck, his shoulder, before Aomine rests against him, purposefully keeping their bodies separated. They breathe, calming their racing hearts and the heat coursing through their bodies. The hold Kise has on his boyfriend loosens, falls until his hands rest lightly on the other's shoulders. He catches his breath, and blinks quickly to ease his burning eyes.

Why is it so hard to be happy? He's glad that Aomine has been given an amazing opportunity, and he knows he can be supportive of Aomine pursing basketball regardless of his own inability to do so, but—but the thought of Aomine leaving… it _terrifies_ him. Why is it so frightening? Why does it leave him breathless in the worst of ways?

"I like you," Kise murmurs, but he knows the truth. It's in his heart, and in the way Aomine holds him; it's in their breathing, and it echoes amongst the falling petals around them.

_I love you_.

* * *

Aomine doesn't consider that Kise knows. Aomine doesn't even stop to think that his secret has been found out. No, he thinks this sudden escape is caused by stress, by overwork, by Kise's mom. Not once does it cross his mind that everything is because of _him_. So Aomine doesn't think to address anything; he figures he'll just give his boyfriend this day before they go back to the stressful life of being high school third years caught up in either basketball practice or work. He's stupid for not having picked up the numerous signs his boyfriend puts up; random talks about America and suddenly moving in together? It was all right there. And regardless of it being right there, Aomine fails at seeing it.

So before they get on the train, he stupidly tells Kise to call his mom, and let her know that Kise is okay. As he paces through the station as his boyfriend makes the call, he overhears tidbits of the conversation. There's a lot of apologizing, and Aomine is sure he hears Kise murmur how he just needed to get away, and how he needs to talk to her, how he really needs his mom's help. This worries him considerably, because Kise's voice sounds weird, but when the other ends the conversation, Kise seems infinitely calmer than he had been previously. It leads Aomine in to thinking that maybe this whole running away thing was about a fight with Kise's mom, and that it's settled now.

Regardless, he asks to make sure. Kise reassures him that everything is fine, and that luckily his mom didn't seem _too_ upset with his ditching life for the day. This information surprises Aomine, because Kise's mom is a prick, but he shrugs it off. If everything between the two is worked out, Aomine has no complaints.

Or at least, he wouldn't. He does though, because at some point when Aomine wasn't looking, his boyfriend bought a damn magazine for their train ride back to Tokyo. It's not just any magazine either—it's one of those gossipy pieces of trash filled with exaggerated lies and slander, but that's not what gets him. It's the so-called 'couple' quizzes in them that Kise becomes too amused with.

"Shouldn't you be resting or something? I think I see dark circles—" Aomine starts, but is promptly cut off by a combination of a pout and glare, compliments of Kise. Despite the model having not slept the night before, Kise looks fresh as a daisy.

"Shut up; Aominecchi does not." Kise huffs, turning his focus from Aomine back to the magazine. Regardless of the blonde's confidence in not having bags beneath his eyes though, Kise still reaches up to touch the skin softly in a self-conscious gesture. For a few moments it's quiet, and Aomine waits until Kise slowly turns to him with a disgruntled and worried expression, "Right?"

"It's really bad." Aomine deadpans, but his expressionlessness is quick to fade in to a wide smirk because Kise actually believes him and covers the area beneath his eyes in a quick movement.

"No way," Kise gasps, looking down at the magazine in his lap as if it has the answers to his problems.

"Idiot," Aomine laughs, lightly smacking away the model's hands from his face. Kise turns to him with a raised brow and small frown, and he snickers, "You're too gullible sometimes."

"What? Jerk." Kise says, laughing despite being teased. The blonde hits Aomine with the magazine before his focus returns to it. Because he's bored, Aomine reads over Kise's shoulder, but he can't find the appeal in such outlandish crap, so he huffs and slouches in his chair, content to catch a short nap before they get back to their ordinary lives.

Sadly his nap only lasts until Kise gets bored though, and that's when the questions start. At first he complains, but Kise challenges him with not being able to answer the questions and Aomine's hooked. He inwardly curses his boyfriend for knowing him so well, but the damn quiz is actually fun to answer. It makes him feel good that they know trivial things about one another, and even when they don't know—learning something new about each other that they hadn't known before is exciting.

"Okay, okay, my turn." Kise says, taking the magazine that they pass between them after every question. The model quickly finds what number they're on, and reads it before grinning at him, "What's my most uncomfortable encounter?"

"Satsuki turning you down when you asked her out in middle school." Aomine answers after a short pause. He snickers at how Kise blanches and complains about a 'low blow' before he shrugs and admits to not knowing. He asks, "What is it then?"

"Well, there was actually this moment recently," Kise starts with an awkward chuckle, and Aomine notes with a pleased smirk that his boyfriend's face flushes with a red blush at the memory, "I was at this shoot with some other male models; we were in really close quarters and—well, some… guy got quiet a bit farther than Aominecchi has with me—"

"_What_?" Aomine asks, eyes wide and jaw slack because _what_!? _Hell_ no.

"Nothing happened! He just got a bit aroused and when I felt it, I—I didn't know what was going on so I kind of just—announced it to the set, that something was er… poking me; I think that's how I phrased it." Kise says, face a brilliant shade of red as he laughs. "I still feel awful about it; once I realized what was going on I'm pretty sure I died a bit, though not as much as the other guy, probably."

"Can we back track a bit?" Aomine asks, not even thinking about the questions or answers or whatever because some bastard was rubbing up on _his_ boyfriend, and that's infinitely more important. Why hadn't Kise told him earlier?! He continues, "This guy did _what_ to you?"

"Aominecchi, it was an accident!" Kise drawls, looking to his boyfriend earnestly. "He didn't mean to."

"Couldn't he have backed up or something?" Aomine grumbles. The bluenette isn't pleased in the least at this bit of information; of course Aomine knows that Kise will be in intimate positions with others at times, but he had never thought it could go so far! He doesn't like it; would it be too much to ask Kise to quit?

Yeah—he's getting carried away now. Grow up, Daiki, this is Kise's _job_. Just a job, just a job, just a—_fuck_ he doesn't care; he's pissed off.

"Aominecchi, don't be jealous. You're the only one who I would—ah, er…" Kise starts, then pauses from embarrassment at the implication his words lead to. Aomine blushes too, and when he opens his mouth to ask if Kise is implying that he's ready to go further, the magazine is shoved at him and he's reminded that it's his turn. As much as he wants to continue talking about the matter, he complies to Kise's wishes and scans the page for where they left off. When he finds the question, he asks:

"If I could change one thing in my life, what would it be?"

"Like, what's Aominecchi's greatest regret? That's a tough one, um." Kise starts, pausing for a moment as he considers his options. The blonde continues, "Does Aominecchi have feelings like that about anything?"

"Of course I do, idiot. Guess." Aomine says.

"Not being at that shoot?" Kise teases. In response, Aomine growls low in his throat and the model laugh before waving his hands around to gesture that his answer was just a joke. Kise says, "Does it have to do with basketball? Back when you gave up on it in middle school?"

"Ah, that's something I definitely regret." Aomine says thoughtfully. He leans back in his chair as he says, "It's not something I'd want to change though."

"It really sucked back then, but it's because that happened that Aominecchi is Aominecchi now; I wouldn't want that to change either!" Kise hums, and then looks upwards as he thinks. "Could it be that Aominecchi wants to be even better at basketball?"

"I'll always get better, so no." Aomine says.

"Eh? What could it—" Kise starts in an exasperated tone, then pauses because he catches Aomine's discreet glance down. Self-consciously, the model shifts his right foot to cross at the ankle of his left before shifting both legs back. The bluenette turns his gaze away, back to the magazine before he unconsciously brings a hand to rub at the inside corners of his eyes.

What else would Aomine want to change, other than his boyfriend's crippling injury? Even if it's been over a year, and they've had time to deal with it, he's still pissed. It shouldn't have happened! Aomine should have been able to do more; maybe if he had noticed how bad it was sooner, he could have said something and convinced Kise not to strain himself so much. If Kise weren't hurt, they could do so much more. Aomine loves everything about their relationship, but if Kise were to have his leg back—the model would be so much more _happy_. All of the depression and insecurity; it probably wouldn't exist if Kise still had all of himself. Aomine keeps telling himself that it will take time, and Kise does actually seem to be getting better—everything seems perfect, actually, but Aomine can't help himself from thinking about how everything _could _be.

"I wouldn't have listened," Kise says softly, interrupting the power forward's thoughts as the blonde turns in his seat to better face his boyfriend. The model tries offering Aomine a smile, but it does little to settle the nausea he feels. "Aominecchi knows how stubborn I can be."

"Like a mule." Aomine sighs, sinking in to his seat. As he hands off the magazine to Kise, he says, "Come on, next question."

Reluctantly, the model accepts the magazine. Amber eyes remain trained on Aomine for a moment, before Kise sighs softly and looks down at the questions. Instead of asking him anything though, Kise discreetly takes his hand and holds on to it tightly. Aomine looks to his boyfriend with raised brows, and Kise offers him a small smile, "Does Aominecchi know what I would change?"

"Your mom's horrible opinion of me?" Aomine asks, tone more pensive than he means for it to be.

"No, because I know she'll like you. Eventually." Kise says lightly, tightening his hold around Aomine's hand. For a brief moment amber eyes stare down at their entwined fingers before they look up at him, and it's with a nearly unbearable warmth in those eyes, and with a crooked smile on his face that the model continues with a shy shrug, "Well, I had thought I was scared about moving too fast, but now I wish that I wouldn't have made us move so slowly—because I want to do so much with Aominecchi. It feels as if I've wasted a lot—too much time."

"I—uh—I—" Aomine says dumbly, unable to form words. He simply gapes, because fuck, is Kise serious?

"So I guess I'd change my life choices; they haven't been too good lately." Kise laughs, motioning down to his leg, before he focuses solely on Aomine with the brightest smile he's ever seen.

"The only thing I have gotten right is Aominecchi."

* * *

_**A/N:** Twenty chapters done, wow. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story for this long; I know it's been a rough ride! Hopefully it hasn't been too bad though!_

_Anyways, this chapter. Aomine and Kise are too fucking sweet; it's almost too much. OTL It's going to be awful once the scholarship issue is actually brought to light and confronted. ;n; What's going to make that situation worse is that Aomine isn't the only one hiding things. Fufufu—moustachiopenguin be teasing/spoiling. ;)_

_Anyways, thank you to everyone that has read this chapter, and for everyone's continued support! You all are the absolute best. ;w; 'til next time!_


	21. Chapter 21

_**Title: **__Just Breathe (21/?) _

_**Rating: **__M _

_**Pairings: **__Aokise, KagaKuro, ImaSaku _

_**Warnings: **__Unbeta'd, OOCness, cultural inaccuracies_

_**Word Count:**__ 7000 approx. _

_**Summary: **__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time. _

_**A/N: **__Omggggg everyone! ;A; 540 reviews, 365 favs, and 434 alerts. Why is everyone so lovely and supportive and just ugh—let me love you all! ;3; It's been a while since I've last updated, but thank you so much for your patience. Every review for last chapter was really appreciated too; whenever I got stuck with writer's block I could just look back at them and feel encouraged again, so thank you thank you_ for taking the time to write me. Thank you even just for reading; omg you guys are too good to me and this story. ;U;

_Anyways, this chapter… is definitely the lead-in to some serious drama. So be prepared for some tough stuff next chapter (which I've actually plotted already ahahaha success). C:_

* * *

Fighting is normal in relationships. Regardless, it's terrifying. As Aomine and he stand outside of Imayoshi's apartment, Kise winces at the sound of raised voices and slamming doors. It makes him fidget uncomfortably, and even Aomine looks lost on what to do. Before he can suggest leaving and rescheduling their study group though, the door opens and Sakurai appears with a strained smile, red cheeks, and trembling hands.

Although he tries to ask his friend what's wrong, Sakurai waves his hands, dismissing the matter without opening his mouth to speak before suddenly the brunette wanders off and locks himself in the bathroom. For at least ten minutes, Kise stands outside of the door, trying to get Sakurai to talk to him, but when no response comes but muttered apologizes, he eventually returns to the living room where Aomine lays on the couch.

With a heavy sigh, Kise sits beside the other, barely managing to fit on the edge of the couch not taken by Aomine's body. His eyelids droop tiredly, and he sighs again.

It's been a long week. Just hours earlier he had returned from an out of town shoot; before that there had been a blurred mess of interviews overlapping with shoots and meetings—Kise is exhausted. It's his own fault for wanting to be so busy, but still. Now, in addition to work and an upcoming test, Sakurai is in a rough patch with Imayoshi.

"You sure you don't just want to go home?" Aomine asks, shifting his head slightly to look up at the blonde.

Although the model knows he shouldn't get in to the habit of slouching, he does anyways, too tired to keep himself upright. Without warning, he lowers himself until the upper half of his body lies across his boyfriend's chest, and Aomine responds with ease by threading fingers through his hair. Kise murmurs, "No, it's fine."

"At least take a nap until they both cool off, yeah?" Aomine presses, and Kise relents without struggle, shifting until he's able to lie on top of his boyfriend. The warmth Aomine exudes is a comfort, and Kise rubs his cheek in to a firm pectoral, murmuring something unintelligible in to the other's soft navy shirt. Lazily, Kise reaches out for Aomine's hand, which finds his deftly before interlacing their fingers and hanging their arms off the edge of the couch. Aomine's breathing is deep and paced, and lulls Kise in to a pleasant doze. Before he's able to fall asleep though, Aomine asks, "Is it weird that we don't fight?"

"We fight." Kise murmurs.

"I mean about important stuff." Aomine reiterates, causing Kise to pause and think. It's true that they don't fight, but is there really something wrong with that? It keeps things nice and peaceful, and—

And who is Kise fooling? It's not right at all. The only reason they don't fight is because they keep the things worth fighting over to themselves. Even when issues come up, one of them bends so that a fight can be avoided.

"Maybe because important stuff hasn't come up yet." Kise says, which is kind of true. Aomine hasn't sat him down to talk about the scholarship yet, so technically the issue hasn't 'come up' yet, though there is the matter of keeping secrets that Kise can bring up at any time. Not fighting is so much easier though. The model knows that fighting makes couples stronger but—Kise just doesn't want to fight with Aomine.

"We've been dating over seven months now." Aomine comments, and the reminder makes Kise smile to himself. The bluenette continues in a thoughtful tone, "Guess it'll happen eventually, huh?"

"When it does, we'll be fine." Kise says, and although he sounds confident, his words are more to reassure himself than Aomine.

Although it's been a month since the model has learned of his boyfriend's opportunity to study and play basketball overseas, he has yet to cope with the information. All Kise can think about is time, and what will happen once that time runs out. Right now they have less than six months to talk about it, to possibly be _together_ as they are now. When that times up, it's goodbye. They'll have to say _goodbye_ and that fact haunts him, keeps him from sleeping, and bays his appetite. All the hypotheticals stress him out, and regardless of him increasing his hours at work, or the time he spends happily with Aomine—nothing makes him feel better. Not even his progress at physical therapy, which Kise knows should mean the _world_ to him, is able to lift his spirits.

"Getting too damn skinny again," Aomine murmurs sleepily, running his fingers along the ridges of Kise's ribs from over the model's shirt. The feeling tickles, and makes the blonde let out a breath of laughter, before they lapse in to silence. Aomine's hand runs up and down the knobs of his spine, and Kise burrows his face in to the crook of Aomine's neck, brushing his lips softly over the other's collarbone in a ghost of a kiss.

They're going to have a fight soon. Just like Imayoshi and Sakurai, they'll yell at each other as loud as they can, throw blame around that shouldn't be placed on any one person, and storm away from each other. The only difference between them and Aomine and Kise, however, is that Imayoshi and Sakurai will undoubtedly make up. As for them—Kise doesn't want to think about it. If it were any small matter, he'd be confident that they would get over it, but what they'll fight over won't be small. It will be big, and it will entail them considering too many possibilities that Kise doesn't want to think about—possibilities that he painstakingly _avoids_ thinking about.

While with these haunting thoughts, Kise falls in to a restless sleep. He's unsure of how long, or if he moves, but he knows that it's warm—Kise knows that Aomine is there, and though he has nightmares, the worst of them are kept at bay by the mere presence of Aomine. But when he wakes up, startled by a muffled sound, Aomine isn't there anymore. The realization makes him choke on his breath, makes his heart _stop_ until he sees the other down the hall, huddled around Kasamatsu's door with both Imayoshi and Sakurai.

'Stop being so antsy,' Kise reprimands himself, taking a moment to calm his racing heart before he quietly makes his way over. Although they had been fighting earlier, Imayoshi and Sakurai seem fine now. Briefly, Aomine glances at him before he scowls, motioning with his head towards the door.

Curiously, Kise squeezes between his friends and boyfriend, peering through the narrowly opened door at whatever it is they all look at. What the blonde sees causes his jaw to drop, before he covers it to hide his grin. Sakurai nudges him and they share an unspoken conversation about how they _knew_ it would happen, and how much cuter it is in actuality, before they return their attention to the other room.

On the floor, Kasamatsu and Momoi sit side by side with an acoustic guitar. The body rests against the former's outstretched leg, and a firm hand nervously grips the neck, pressing down idly on strings. Momoi appears equally as nervous, face flushed and smile shy as she tries to mimic the grip on the neck of the instrument. When she gets it right, Kasamatsu strums the guitar softly, a pleasant chord filling the room that makes the pink haired girl beam brightly. The expression seems to stun Kasamatsu, but the boy eventually cracks a goofy, lopsided grin at his companion.

It's a sweet moment—and Kise can't help the warm smile that pulls at his lips. Kasamatsu and Momoi… it's an unlikely couple, but it's freaking cute. The model already knows that no one will make Momoi happier, or treat her with more respect. Kasamatsu is an admirable guy; predictable in every way that Momoi will need him to be. So when Aomine makes a move to interrupt the moment, Kise blocks the bluenette with his crutches, baying the other back as they argue in hushed voices.

Sadly Kise doesn't account for Imayoshi, who wrestles briefly with Sakurai before overpowering the brunette and forcing his way in to the small room with a playful call of, "Kasamatsu-kun~ have you seen my glasses?" Once the stupid question is voiced, Imayoshi fakes a gasp of surprise at the sight before him and laughs with mock embarrassment, "Seriously, have you seen them? I can't see without them. Right now it even looks like you managed to get a girl in to your room. Funny, huh?"

"Get _out_." Kasamatsu growls through gritted teeth, face flushing from embarrassment. Beside him, Momoi blushes as well and shifts away shyly, a soft, nervous giggle falling past her lips as she pushes her hair behind her ears.

"Actually, I should probably get going." Momoi says, standing up from her seat from the floor slowly before smoothing out the creases in her skirt. In response to the action, Kasamatsu slouches a bit in disappointment, but then visibly brightens when Momoi offers him a small smile, "It was fun! I'll see Kasamatsu-san some other time, hm?"

"R-right, of course." Kasamatsu stutters, lowering his head in embarrassment.

"So docile and cute," Imayoshi teases, which earns him an annoyed scowl from the other boy.

"Imayoshi-san is just jealous that _he_ isn't cute." Momoi says in a defensive and snooty tone. The comment makes Imayoshi raise a brow before he snickers because both Kasamatsu and Momoi turn bright red at the impulsive words. Deeming the conversation over, Momoi lowers her head embarrassedly and steps out of the room, only to stop dead in her tracks when she sees Aomine attempting to crawl his way to the door regardless of both Kise and Sakurai lying a top him in a pile. When their eyes meet, she blushes a bright pink.

"Was _everyone_ spying on us!?" She exclaims, mortified.

"We weren't!" Kise says immediately, then gasps when the hand he has clamped around Aomine's mouth is licked. Quickly, he pulls it away and wipes the saliva off on the bluenette's shirt, whining low in his throat because doing that was _uncalled for_.

"We totally were; you can bet your ass that once these two idiots get off of me I'm going to go have a word with your boyfriend too." Aomine growls as he once again attempts to throw Kise and Sakurai off of him.

"S-shh!" Momoi says in a panic, raising one of her fingers to her mouth before casting a furtive glance back at Kasamatsu's room. Luckily both Kasamatsu and Imayoshi are arguing and don't hear Aomine's words, but Momoi still shuffles anxiously regardless, lowering her gaze dismally. She glares at Aomine and says, "He's not my boyfriend; we're not dating."

"Ah? Then what the Hell was that with the guitar?" Aomine huffs, this time keeping in mind his volume.

Momoi shrugs, and Kise feels bad for the poor girl. She looks so _lost_. Kise can remember that feeling—he experienced it often enough once he transferred to Tōō and began spending more time with Aomine. The match between Aomine and Kaijō's team still manages to make Kise feel flustered, confused, and loved all at once. Those confusing times were much more pleasant than the confusing time he's enduring now.

"I don't know. We were just finding stuff to do, since Imayoshi-san and Sakurai-kun started fighting." Momoi sighs, and Kise can tell with how her gaze shifts to the side before focusing on them again that she _wants_ what had happened in that room to mean something. It makes him smile, because Kise already knows that it _does_.

"Sorry," Sakurai groans guiltily. During this temporary moment, Aomine takes advantage of the brunette's defeated form and pushes up from the floor, knocking both Kise and the other off.

"So he didn't do anything?" Aomine asks, wanting clarification.

"About as much as you!" Momoi snaps, crossing her arms over her chest, and although the words confuse him, Kise sees Aomine's reaction to them—sees how his boyfriend suddenly looks fatigued, looks put out and regretful. He wants to reach out and hold Aomine's hand, but the other turns away, following after Momoi with a huff as she goes to the living room to start their study group. Meanwhile, Kise watches Aomine's back.

It feels terrible when Aomine doesn't turn to look back.

* * *

There's a harsh reality behind Satsuki's words that Aomine doesn't want to think about. Regardless, they haunt him, echo in his head until it's the _only_ thing on his mind. It makes him anxious, and causes a knot to form in his stomach. About as much as him, Satsuki had said, and Aomine knows all too well what she means. She's talking about the scholarship he's keeping a secret, about how he's taking no action to inform the one person that _should _know, about how he's not taking any initiative to preserve his relationship with Kise.

Does she really have the right to accuse him of something like that though? Sure, Aomine is procrastinating, but the only reason he's not bothering with it is because it definitely won't be a problem. Kise and he are a power couple—they'll get through anything and everything together, and they're going to last in the long run. Satsuki doesn't know anything!

Only she does, because she's his best friend—knows him better than he sometimes feels he knows himself. It's because of this that he takes her accusation to heart, and the longer he ponders, the more he _denies_, he begins to realize that she's right.

For all this time, he had been using Kise as an excuse to keep the scholarship a secret. He had convinced himself that Kise didn't need more added to his already stressful load, and that the time would come eventually. But then other matters would come up, the timing wouldn't be right. Even in the present he's has the excuse that Kise and he are stronger than a little bit of distance! There's a truth hidden in the mess he's created for himself that's glaringly obvious now though, and it makes him feel sick.

Aomine hasn't told Kise because he knows they aren't ready—that they aren't _strong enough_ yet to handle four years of separation. He's been waiting, purposefully procrastinating because he wants them to get to that place, but… they just aren't there yet, and Aomine doesn't know when they will be.

The truth winds him, makes him feel weak. His fingers itch for his phone, wanting desperately to call his friend and ask what the Hell he can do to fix things, to make everything perfect, but he knows that she won't have answers, or at least one that he'll want to hear.

'I have to tell him,' Aomine realizes, his shoulders slouching inward for the first time in so long because he feels utterly _defeated_. As he continues along the path he walks, a bit slower than usual because he's on his way to see Kise _now, _his mind wanders. What will he say? How will Aomine explain himself? How will his boyfriend react?

Without his notice, his heart starts beating faster, but he isn't used to it. Aomine isn't used to having each thud against his chest fill him with more and more dread; he's used to the damn thing skipping beats whenever he sees Kise, used to it stopping altogether whenever the idiot smiles at him or whispers something in his ear or kisses him. Breathe, breathe, he needs to breathe, but instead the air lodges itself in his throat. Aomine realizes that he isn't moving forward anymore, but he can't get himself to move.

It takes a hand, big and heavy and warm, to snap himself from his thoughts. When he does, Aomine is startled to see grey eyes peering at him. It's Kiyoshi, who looks at him worriedly before offering him a big smile.

"Hey, are you okay? You look a little sick." The older boy says, patting his shoulder once more before withdrawing to hold on to one of his crutches.

"'m fine." Aomine grunts, shoving his hands in to his pockets anxiously. Wanting to turn the focus of the conversation away from him, the bluenette reaches forward with his foot to nudge one of Kiyoshi's crutches. Looking towards the other with a smirk, Aomine says, "Finally out of the chair, huh?"

"Hahaha, yes. I've been alternating between the crutches and chair for a while now, but my knees are finally strong enough so I've gotten the go-ahead to be on crutches full time." Kiyoshi says happily, and then seems to pause as he remembers something. The smile on the other's face dims considerably, but the permanent upward tilt to Kiyoshi's lips remain as he asks, "I'm not sure if anything happened, but is Kise-chan okay?"

"Huh?" Aomine asks dumbly, surprised by the question. Why wouldn't Kise be okay? He asks, "What do you mean?"

"Well, he's seemed sad lately, don't you think?" Kiyoshi asks. "Though I can't understand why."

"He's been working a lot lately," Aomine says deftly, and he doesn't even register how he doesn't even stop to consider how something could be wrong. Things have just been so good with his boyfriend lately that Aomine can't help but to be complacent. He continues, "He's probably just tired."

"Oh." Kiyoshi says, nodding in understanding. "That would explain it, huh?"

"Yeah; that idiot pushes himself too hard." Aomine huffs, though he isn't really annoyed. It's that determination that he loves about Kise, after all.

"Hahah! Right? Take care of him, hm?" Kiyoshi laughs, already continuing on to wherever he had previously been headed. Aomine starts to continue his way to the rehabilitation center as well, before suddenly Kiyoshi calls to him, "Ah! Congratulations on that scholarship too, Aomine-kun!"

"Ah!? Is that Bakagami telling every one?" Aomine complains, looking back with an exasperated expression at the brunette.

"Eh? No, it was—" Kiyoshi starts, but then a car honks and Kiyoshi is whisked away. Aomine wonders what it was the other was about to say, but shrugs it off and makes his way in to the center. Kise waits for him in the waiting room, greeting him with a wide smile and request for popsicles on the way home. It'll be the perfect time to tell Kise about the scholarship, and Aomine nods solemnly.

* * *

That jerk still hasn't talked with him about it. Summer break has just started, and his boyfriend hasn't said a _word_. Does that moron not realize just what he's going through!? Probably not, since Aomine doesn't know that Kise knows, but _still_. Kise is working himself to _death_ just so he can catch a few hours of sleep at night; he's that anxious! The model wants to get this conversation over with—wants Aomine to talk with him like serious boyfriends should. Maybe then Kise will be able to breathe again; will be able to eat and sleep and live life like he should be living it.

He's been given a lot of time to think about how he feels about Aomine leaving. It's terrible of him, but Kise doesn't think they'll last four years with that distance. Personally, he would put in every ounce of effort he possibly could to make a long distance relationship work, but he knows that it wouldn't be fair. They'll be eighteen—young and wanting to have experiences and fun. While Aomine is away… Kise can't imagine stifling the other with a relationship, preventing the person he cares for so much from those sorts of experiences. Regardless, Kise is too selfish to give Aomine up—too greedy to let go. Kise doesn't _want_ to break up, but he knows it needs to happen.

So his resolve is to let it happen, and while Kise isn't okay with it, he will be. Or at least, he hopes he will be. It will surely be heartbreaking, but Kise is prepared to give up so that Aomine can have this new dream. That will surely make everything worth it, right?

The train that he had exited moments earlier pulls away from the station, moving past with a gust of air that sends his hair blowing in all directions. Kise doesn't actually know where he is, but he knows Aomine is here somewhere. Work had prevented him from traveling with his boyfriend and meeting Aomine's family, but somehow talk for a shoot _here_ came up, and here he is. Hopefully it's not pretentious of him, thinking that he'll still be welcomed after having to decline Aomine's invitation.

With a sigh, Kise glances about the empty area surrounding the station once more before pulling out his phone. A part of him is surprised that it has service, and he deftly hits his first speed dial. If Aomine doesn't pick up, Kise doesn't really know what he'll do, but luckily Aomine does, and at the sound of his boyfriend's voice, Kise smiles in relief. There's a lot of background noise, a lot of children laughing and talking; Kise wonders if he interrupted anything, and says, "Aominecchi! Are you busy right now?"

"Not really," His boyfriend says, briefly pausing to scold someone. Aomine continues, "Just walking the brats home; they wanted to go to the stream to try catching stuff."

"Do you say 'try' because Aominecchi was catching everything before they got a chance?" Kise teases, pausing because he hears an echo of laughter from the phone and the area surrounding him. Amber eyes light up when he sees Aomine and the kids his boyfriend had been watching all walking along a dusty path with an assortment of nets, shovels, and buckets. The bluenette is oblivious to him, and Kise grins, looking down at the single forearm crutch he now uses. Aomine's going to get so many surprises; Kise wonders how he'll react!

"Ah? They had plenty of chances; I just caught what they missed—which was practically everything." Aomine scoffs, and even without the speaker pressed to his ear, Kise can hear a small girl yelling at Aomine that he had been cheating as she pulls at his shorts. In response, his boyfriend snickers at the girl and proposes a challenge for the following day that she's quick to decline.

Seeing Aomine so relaxed is something that Kise has gotten used to, but it's different here. Of course his boyfriend is happy when he's with Kise, but being with family brings Aomine a different sort of happiness that the model is glad he's able to see. He wonders if he can be a part of it—if Aomine's family will like him and laugh with him. Anxiety begins to come back to him, and he breathes, "Hey…"

"Hm?" Aomine hums distractedly, already having passed Kise by at the town's small little train station. If he were able to, Kise would run, would jump on his boyfriend's back and say something stupid as a greeting. Because he can't though, the model just admires his boyfriend's back, and instead says something simple.

"Turn around."

And when Aomine does, the power forward looks confused, but eventually blue eyes settle on him. Kise's poor boyfriend looks lost, which makes the model laugh as he hangs up his phone and begins waving as he calls out, "Aominecchi!"

The confirmation that Kise is actually standing there seems to jolt the other in to action, and Kise beams as Aomine jogs over. Were the kids not standing nearby, Kise would definitely offer his boyfriend a greeting kiss, but he settles on chuckling to himself as he picks up his bag. The blonde gets as far as grabbing the strap before Aomine takes it from him, but then it's promptly dropped and Kise whines, turning to his boyfriend with a pout.

"Aominecchi, that was my stuff!" He complains, but Aomine doesn't hear him. It's then that Kise remembers the change to his person, and he smiles brightly, shifting the new crutch he holds in his left hand. He laughs and calls, "Surprise!"

"You shitty bastard; I knew you were hiding something!" Aomine exclaims, and although he tries to sound accusing, the smile his boyfriend wears takes away the effect.

"Eh? I wasn't hiding anything; Aominecchi never asked how physical therapy was going." Kise snickers.

"That's because you were busy, idiot." Aomine huffs, but again, his expression slips in to a happy grin. It makes Kise smile too, and no matter how used to smiling he is, his cheeks start to ache. "Does this mean you're able to…?"

"No," Kise sighs, clearly annoyed. He pouts and continues, "Well, I guess I can walk a little bit with the crutch, but I'm really slow, and I look pretty silly."

"How about just pretty?" Aomine smirks, and Kise can see in the other's eyes just how much his boyfriend wants to lean forward and kiss him. Although Kise doesn't hate kids, he really wishes they would go away so that he could have this moment with Aomine.

He chuckles, "Aominecchi won't be saying that once he sees me."

"That'll be because I'm too distracted by how damn sexy you are." Aomine says lightly, once again picking up the model's bag from the ground before slinging it over his shoulder. For the briefest of moments, the bluenette reaches out to take Kise's free hand, but pauses immediately when another voice makes its way in to the conversation.

"Daiki-niichan, what's 'sexy' mean?"

And shortly after, once some of the older girls amongst the kids wander over, there's a loud, simultaneous screech of, "Kise Ryouta!?"

* * *

Once introductions are made and Aomine's cousins calm down enough, they continue towards the house. On multiple occasions he finds himself apologizing for the agonizingly slow pace he forces everyone to follow, but no one seems to mind much. Aomine in particular seems content watching him slowly limp along the path, at least until the bluenette becomes impatient with his inability to talk to him. When that moment strikes, all the kids are forced to walk twenty yards ahead of them, and Aomine gripes under his breath, snapping at anyone who dares to so much as try to look over their shoulders.

"Jealous of kids, Aominecchi?" Kise teases, causing his boyfriend to scoff.

"Shut up." Aomine grumbles, loosely linking their pinkies and ring fingers. The action makes Kise smiles softly to himself, and he curls his fingers contentedly. Aomine, too, curls his fingers, and as they walk in a pleasant silence, listening only to the children whine about Aomine being selfish, Aomine asks, "How long have you been able to feel your calf?"

"A few weeks before summer break started." Kise hums.

"I'm surprised you were able to keep it a secret for so long," Aomine says lightly, with just a hint of teasing.

"It helped that I was so caught up with work." Kise laughs, swinging their hands back and forth between them.

"Ah, speaking of that—I thought you had said that you would be working over break. Did something happen?" Aomine asks.

"There's a shoot here, actually! My mom told me that if I do it, I could stay for a few days with Aominecchi." Kise says happily, then pauses to correct himself, "Actually, Aominecchi is supposed to be Sakuraicchi, but let's keep that between us."

"The hole we're digging ourselves by not telling your mom is becoming scary." Aomine notes, frowning at the thought of how the woman will take it once she _does_ find out.

"True," Kise sighs, but what can they do? If he were to sit his mom down and tell her, she would surely freak! Jokingly, he says, "Too bad I can't have Aominecchi's baby, huh? My mom would definitely make you take responsibility, instead of running you away."

"Well, we could always try," Aomine says lightheartedly, and the insinuation makes Kise flush to the tips of his ears. Regardless of if he had set himself up for that, he wasn't prepared for Aomine to be so blunt!

"A-anyways, the shoot is the day after tomorrow." Kise says, coughing to disguise his stutter. "Would Aominecchi like to go with me? It may be boring though."

"I'll go." His boyfriend says, then grumbles, "I have to make sure no creep gets all up on you again."

At this, Kise laughs loudly, which causes all the children to turn to look back at them. Their sudden movement leaves Aomine and he frantically shifting their hands away from each other; no one seems to notice, but there's one toddler specifically that sends them an unnerving stare. The girls from before crowd around him once again, and like before Kise humors them as Aomine impatiently watches. It's how they spend the rest of their walk to the house, but Kise doesn't mind. One of the younger boys squeezes between Aomine and he when Kise accidently stumbles, taking his hand with ease and saying that he'll make sure that the blonde doesn't fall. It's adorable, and when another child gives him their straw hat upon noticing how his cheeks become rosy from the sun, Kise has to wonder if everyone in the Aomine family is so painfully _sweet_.

Kise also has to wonder if everyone in the Aomine family is fit, because once they reach the household, the model is greeted with stairs. Lots, and _lots_ of stairs. What makes it worse is that they're old, uneven, and steep. If just walking to the base of the property was a challenge, Kise isn't sure how he's going to manage this new trial in a timely manner.

"Is Aominecchi sure that it's okay that I stay?" Kise asks, glancing to his boyfriend who sends the children ahead of them. He feels bad for thinking in such a way, but the blonde would rather not climb this mountain of stairs only to have to turn around and go back down.

"Of course it is." Aomine says, looking up the steps as he too, contemplates just how they're going to get Kise up. Carrying Kise up would prove dangerous, but maybe Aomine can drag the model up? His boyfriend turns to him and asks, "Unless you're having second thoughts?"

"Eh? No! Of course not; I really want to meet Aominecchi's family." Kise says, though now that the question has been posed, he's a bit nervous. The 'what-ifs' he had considered before flood back in to his mind, but before the anxiety can hit, Aomine's hand slips easily in to his. It bays back those thoughts, and Kise smiles brightly as his boyfriend slowly, patiently helps him up the stairs.

Kise wishes that all the difficult hardships in life could be as easy as this.

* * *

Once they make it to the top step, Kise is quick to turn and sit on it. The suddenness of the action make Aomine snicker, and he crouches beside his boyfriend, assisting in the fanning motion that Kise already has going with his own hands. Teasingly, he asks if Kise is out of shape, and the model groans at him to shut up. Aomine does so with a smirk, turning his attention to the blonde's leg that stretches out over the lower steps.

"You're okay, right?" He murmurs, and Kise smiles at him softly.

"Yeah." The model replies, reaching forward to brush his fingers over the leg of his pants. Kise turns to him and continues with a laugh, "How can I not be? I just climbed a mountain, Aominecchi! By the end of my stay maybe I'll have some muscle back in this leg?"

The accomplishment Kise feels radiates off of him; it makes Aomine's lips pull up in to a small, fond smile. It's about damn time this happened—Kise deserves it. Aomine doubts that the healing process will move any quicker than it has been, but the fact that there's progress is encouraging. It's still frustrating that Kise can't be entirely better, and can't play basketball with him during their final year of high school, but there's a future—and Aomine is content with that.

"Maybe." Aomine hums, although he knows full well that he won't be letting his boyfriend push himself more than the idiot already has. Kise's _just_ gotten to the point where he can hobble around; Aomine isn't going to take advantage of that and possibly injure Kise again. More than taking his boyfriend around to look at rice fields and the small, run down stores around town, he'd rather be patient—wait until he can take Kise to a basketball court and have another one-on-one.

Just the thought makes him smile; such a soft expression makes Kise flush and glance to the side anxiously, before the model attempts to divert his attention by stretching and flopping back on to the ground with a whine about being tired. It serves its purpose, and Aomine snorts at Kise's childishness. In response, Kise snickers. Unable to help himself, the power forward falls from his crouch to his knees, and, using one hand as support by the side of Kise's head, leans over the model. He couldn't do this earlier because the brats had been around, but now it's just them, and he _really_ wants to kiss his boyfriend.

So Aomine lowers himself, slowly, and Kise's eyes flutter closed. But, right as he's close enough to feel the model's breath ghost over his face, there's a loud call:

"Oh no! Did Kise-san get heat stroke!?"

"_Shit_." Aomine groans, head quickly snapping to the side to look past the entrance of the gate where he's being called. It's then that he notices the _entirety_ of his family is standing there, _watching_, with his fangirl cousins leading the pack.

At his words, Kise frowns, cracking an eye open to look at him. When the model sees that his attention is diverted, the blonde shifts his head to look back as well. Aomine hears Kise gasp, and can _feel_ the heat of embarrassment that radiates from his boyfriend's body.

"Ah, yeah!" Aomine calls, forcing himself not to stutter. He can cover this up; Kise catches on quickly too, and pretends to be sick—does a pretty damn good job at looking it too.

"Well, get him inside, Daiki." He hears his dad say, and it's with an amused tone, as if he's playing along with Aomine's lie. In truth, his dad _is_ helping him out, and that makes the situation all the more embarrassing.

With a blush staining his cheeks, he hauls Kise up in to his arms. His cousins are quick to help with picking up Kise's crutch and bag, which he personally warns them not to go through, lest they want a firm smack-down. The comment makes Kise struggle not to smile, and an amber eye peeks open slightly to look at him in amusement. All Aomine can respond with is a shake of his head and a sigh; happy as he may be to have his boyfriend here with him—it's going to be a mess.

"Get the poor boy some ice and water," One of his aunts tells the younger children that remain present, before joining a growing crowd of his elders that huddle around him as Aomine tries to move forward. Kise receives a lot of compliments; because he doesn't like everyone gawking, he tells them to cut it out, but they simply tease him about being jealous before resuming their appreciation of Kise's too attractive person.

Once they make it to an air-conditioned room, Aomine's almost afraid to put his boyfriend down. The women of the family are like vultures! Reluctantly though, he does, and Kise takes advantage of the moment his back touches the couch, pretending like the shift of his body wakes him. Amber eyes blink blearily, before the model tries to sit up. It's annoying to be shoved aside so quickly as his aunts try to keep Kise lying down, but he backs away anyways. Kise can probably handle this situation better without him anyways.

"I see he's a good actor," His dad hums amusedly from where he moves to stand beside the bluenette. The older man laughs as Kise attempts to convince the ladies that he's fine, "Very different from you."

"Are you implying something?" Aomine asks with a click of his tongue. How is it that his boyfriend comes here for him and is caught up with Aomine's own family? It's irritating!

"Nothing, nothing," His dad snickers, patting Aomine on the shoulder. "Be sure to keep your displays of affection private though, hm?"

Well, _that's_ embarrassing, coming from his father of all people.

"Yeah," The bluenette grumbles, scratching the back of his head anxiously and turning away so that his dad can't see the blush that stains his cheeks.

"He seems like a good kid." The man says, noting how quickly the model manages to appease the women and get them seated calmly around him in a lively conversation about something or another. Most of the questions revolve around Kise, but the blonde never answers in a conceited way, and keeps everyone involved and laughing.

It's the first time Aomine has really seen Kise converse with adults, and it's sort of mesmerizing. The idiot fits in perfectly, and doesn't appear in the least uncomfortable, even when some of Aomine's more intimidating uncles join the group. It makes Aomine smirk contentedly, and when Kise looks at him with curious eyes, that smirk blooms in to a grin. Beside him, his dad's eyes widen in surprise, but Aomine doesn't take notice; all he can see is Kise.

* * *

Night falls, and Kise leans tiredly against his boyfriend. It's strange that he feels so weary; all he's done all day is talk, it seems. The Aomine family isn't strict or conservative, nor are they particularly intimidating either, so it wasn't like conversing had been a challenge at all.

Maybe he's just tired because he was trying so hard to impress everyone, especially Aomine's parents? Yeah, that's probably it. In the end it worked out though, and the effort was well spent. Kise smiles softly to himself, closing his eyes to alleviate the burn. The muscles in his left leg throb, but the fact that the blonde can _feel_ that pain is enough to offset the discomfort.

"Do you want to go to sleep? I'll get your futon out." Aomine offers, though Kise can hear it in the tone of his boyfriend's voice that the other would rather stay as they are.

"No, I'm comfy." Kise hums pleasantly, nuzzling his head in to Aomine's shoulder. The air has cooled considerably since the afternoon, which he's grateful for. Although the complex is stunning on the inside, Kise feels that he needs the fresh air. Receiving a lot of attention is something he's used to, but it had become stifling in this setting. All he wants is to relax, and here with his boyfriend, outside of Aomine's room on a raised platform overlooking a beautiful garden, is the perfect place to do so. He asks, "What does Aominecchi think his parents think of me?"

"Ah? Wasn't it obvious that they like you?" Aomine asks. "They probably think you're charming, although you're just a cheeky bastard."

"Hey," Kise pouts, and Aomine snickers amusedly before informing Kise that his parents _do_ actually like him, that they like the blonde a lot, in fact. With a disgruntled voice, Aomine informs him that he talks about Kise often with them over the phone—that his parents thought he was lying when he informed them that he was dating a model that made lunch for him everyday, a model who is funny and industrious and makes every day _better_. This information makes Kise blush, but a smile still tugs at his lips as his boyfriend continues. Aomine tells him that although his parents didn't believe Kise actually existed, they still loved the idea of him. Anything that can make Aomine so happy, they love and support unreservedly. 'Spoiled,' Kise chuckles, and his boyfriend scoffs, but doesn't deny the accusation.

"So I make Aominecchi happy?" Kise hums, eyes sliding closed tiredly. More than impressing his boyfriend's parents, the model feels this is entirely more important.

"Yeah," Aomine says. There's a brief pause, before the bluenette coughs and mumbles, "What about you?"

"Well," Kise drawls, just to torment his boyfriend. As expected, Aomine flusters and growls at him, resulting in Kise pulling away from the other's shoulder to laugh. He feels a bit bad for embarrassing the power forward, so Kise reaches for a calloused hand, curling his fingers over the top of it before giving Aomine a loving smile. He says, "Aominecchi makes me feel a lot of things."

"Nice save, bastard." Aomine huffs before turning away to sulk. In response, Kise pesters the other in an attempt to return his boyfriend's attention to him. Said attempts fail for a long while, but when Kise decides to take a break and use Aomine's lap as a pillow for his quick respite, the bluenette looks down at him with blue eyes more stunning than the night sky above them.

"You know, this is where I realized that I liked you."

The words leave Kise stunned and breathless. A smile almost starts to pull at his lips, but then the calm in Aomine's expression shifts—changes in to something uncertain. Aomine opens his mouth to continue, but Kise acts more quickly. He reaches behind Aomine's neck and pulls him down, crushes their lips together and forcibly swallows the words he feels coming.

What happened to being ready? What happened to his resolve to letting their relationship fall apart?

Kise will never know if Aomine had been about to bring up the scholarship or not, but he knows now that letting go of Aomine—it really is something that he can't do. He'll do anything to stop it.

* * *

_**A/N:** Well. There's some heavy foreshadowing at the ending for everyone there. One reviewer (burachanka, love you) has already called me on it, and yep. Now three big issues are going to be on Aomine and Kise's plate, and I haven't even introduced Kise's secret yet! Drama drama drama, all to be further explored in chapter 22!_

_Anyways, this chapter featured quiet a bit, but mostly displayed how Aomine and Kise are aware of their weaknesses as a couple. They're not mature like ImaSaku, and they aren't in that honeymoon phase like KasaMomo, so they're finding their footing again. Whether they will or not though… who knows. (But happy endings guys, I stress this)._

_Thank you everyone for reading JB; I really hope that this chapter was okay. If you have time, please review and tell me what you think! I love reading everyone's thoughts; they're really encouraging/inspiring. (: So yes, I'll be working hard at the next chapter. 'til then! Thank you!_


	22. Chapter 22

_**Title: **__Just Breathe (22/?)_

_**Rating: **__M_

_**Pairings: **__Aokise_

_**Warnings: **__Unbeta'd, OOCness, cultural inaccuracies_

_**Word Count:**__ 7300 approx._

_**Summary: **__Kise's injury is more severe than anyone imagined. While on the road to recovery, it will be discovered that not all injuries are superficial, and that not all injuries can be healed through time._

_**A/N: **__Somehow finished. OTL It seems that the wait time between chapters is getting worse and worse. I'm really sorry about that, everyone. The continuous support is much appreciated though, so thank you to everyone who reviewed/favorited/alerted/read)! Moustachio is undeserving of you wonderful readers. Thank you for everything. ;U;_

_For those of you who read these little notes, I'll give you a heads up that drama be ahead, though there isn't as much as I had originally planned. Hopefully you'll enjoy it! Trouble in paradise ahead. ;D_

* * *

When Kise turns his head to the side suddenly with a pained gasp and wince, whatever hard-on Aomine may have had is killed. He hovers over his boyfriend, staring in confused horror at flushed cheeks and bruised lips. What happened? Did he accidentally squish Kise somehow? No, no—that can't be the case; Aomine has been purposefully keeping his body a safe distance from Kise. Heated as their making out may be, he doesn't think it would go well if he were to grind his erection in to the model's hip.

"What's wrong?" He asks, searching his boyfriend's squinted eyes for answers.

"Ah, I'm fine, Aominecchi." Kise says, even though a trembling hand grasps at his wrist for purchase. The blonde offers him a strained smile, and then leans up to kiss him. It takes all Aomine has to pull away, but when he does Kise flops back to the ground with a soft whine. Kise says, "Really!"

"Bullshit." Aomine grunts, narrowing his eyes.

"My leg… just hurts a little. From all the walking." Kise murmurs, turning his gaze away embarrassedly. "It's really not a big deal."

"Yeah it is; don't be stupid." Aomine sighs as he sits back on his haunches. The selfish part of him wants to listen to Kise and resume what they had been doing, but he can't—not when he knows that his boyfriend is in pain. With a small frown on his face, Aomine asks, "Did you get any pain medication for it? If not I'll go find some."

"No, I have some." Kise mumbles, looking towards his bag. When Aomine moves to go retrieve the prescription though, a hand grabs on to his wrist hurriedly. With a raised brow, he looks back at Kise, and sees a slightly panicked look that's quickly hidden behind an apologetic smile.

"Could Aominecchi get me some water?" The blonde asks.

"Ah? Sure." Aomine says, diverting his attention to go fetch his boyfriend a glass of water. Before he exits the room, he casts a quick glance back at Kise, who rubs his hands over his flushed face. A smug smirk pulls at his lips, and Aomine resumes his trek to the kitchen.

On his way, he thinks about why Kise wouldn't want him going through his bag. Could Kise have gotten him a present? Their seven-month anniversary has past, and Aomine's birthday isn't for a while.

Holy fuck. What if Kise plans on them having sex and is hiding condoms and lube? _Fuck yes_, he's figured it out! A wide grin spreads across his face, and he saunters in to the kitchen with a bounce to his step as he goes to a cabinet for a cup. Someone's getting lucky over the next few days, and it's going to be _him_; life couldn't get any better! But isn't this weird? They haven't even touched each other below the belt yet. Aomine doesn't mind leaping forward, but will Kise really be ready? Well, even if his boyfriend isn't, maybe they can at least exchange hand jobs or _something_. Progress is progress; Aomine isn't going to complain.

"Someone looks suspiciously happy,"

"Ack!" Aomine exclaims, fumbling with the cup he pulls from the cabinet. Wide blue eyes turn to look behind him, and Aomine sees his mother leaning back against the opposite counter. He groans, "_Mom_, don't do that!"

"It's not my fault you were being oblivious to the world." The woman shrugs.

"I'd think you'd prefer that, what with you sneaking sweets and all." Aomine huffs in defense. When his mom blushes from being caught, Aomine snickers and motions to the crumbs on her face before continuing to get Kise's water.

"There's no other time for me to eat good food, what with your father's new diet and all!" His mother complains, bringing out the bag of cookies she had been hiding behind her back. "Because you're living on your own, you don't understand. Being a supportive spouse is so hard."

"Uh-huh." Aomine hums, walking over to the refrigerator and pressing the cup to the ice dispenser before switching to the water.

"You had better not tell him, Daiki." She threatens with pursed lips. It's not intimidating in the least; the action sort of reminds him of Kise whenever the blonde threatens him half-heartedly, and that makes him smile slightly.

"Ah? I have to be paid for silence. Sorry." Aomine smirks, and then looks down at the bag his mom holds. In response, she rolls her eyes and holds out the bag. He's not much of one for sweets, but he takes one for Kise regardless. He snickers, "Thanks."

"I hope you're more of a gentleman to that boyfriend of yours." His mother says lightly, taking a small bite of a cookie she takes from the bag. She asks, "He's comfortable, right? Does he need more blankets or anything? Extra pillows?"

"Of course I am," Aomine scoffs, already making his way to the entrance of the kitchen so that he can return to Kise. He continues, "I'm making sure he's plenty comfortable too; don't nag."

"He's such a looker; I can't help myself." She says frankly, which makes Aomine sulk. Would everyone back off of his boyfriend already? Kise is _his_, damn it. His reaction makes his mother laugh, and she waves her hand, urging him to leave, "I'm teasing. You go back to Kise-san now, hm?"

With a noncommittal grunt, Aomine excuses himself from the kitchen. On his way back to his room, some of his uncles who smoke in one of the gardens call him over, asking him to drink. Any other night Aomine would go for it, but there's more pressing matters awaiting him so he tells them that he will another time. Maybe Kise could join them as well? Seeing his boyfriend drunk would be pretty amusing.

"Hey; I grabbed you a cookie too. You're not on some weird model diet for this shoot, right?" The bluenette asks, sliding the door to his room open with his foot. Kise waits for him on Aomine's rumpled futon. Although the model has fixed his clothes and hair, his face is still flushed and his lips remain bruised. It's an erotic sight, and Aomine coughs awkwardly while shutting the door behind him. He honestly doesn't know if he'll be able to hold himself back; it wouldn't do to have someone walk by and peep in.

"No, no. Thanks, Aominecchi!" Kise says happily, reaching up to take the water and cookie after placing two mitch-matched pills in his mouth. After taking a swallow of water, Kise places the glass down and chuckles embarrassedly behind his free hand. "Hopefully Aominecchi's family doesn't think I'm taking advantage of you, what with Aominecchi doing so much for me."

"Ah?" Aomine asks, taking a seat before his boyfriend. With a huff, he crosses his legs and grabs his ankles. He grumbles, "They wouldn't think that—they'd just think I'm whipped."

"Are you?" Kise teases, offering him a playful grin. In response, Aomine snorts and shakes his head. Eventually, blue eyes land on Kise's left leg, which he notices the model rubbing idly. He wonders if the action helps to ease whatever pain Kise feels. It's great that his boyfriend can feel his leg again, but it makes him antsy that pain will be a part of the healing process.

Without saying a word, Aomine reaches forward cautiously. Calloused fingers wrap around the other's ankle, and with a quick glance at Kise to make sure he isn't hurting him, Aomine begins to straighten the bent leg until he's able to rest Kise's foot a top his calf. The cookie Aomine had brought Kise rests pressed against the model's lower lip as his boyfriend watches him distractedly, and Aomine smirks to himself.

The gentleness of his touch is embarrassing, and unsuitable for a guy like him, but he's anxious. Aomine doesn't want to unintentionally hurt his boyfriend—he wants to help Kise feel better. So with each careful circular motion of his thumbs, he glances up. Kise smiles at him, a small quirk of his lips, and looks down when their eyes meet.

The cicadas chirp loudly and Kise chews his cookie slowly, while Aomine breathes in an amused voice, "Probably."

* * *

Despite how comfortable Aomine and he are with each other, they don't usually sleep together. Sure, they occasionally nap together on the couch, and there was that one time that Kise snuck in to Aomine's bed at the hotel when they ran away for a night, and again that time after Aomine confessed to him—

All the memories make Kise flush a bright red. Okay, so Aomine and he have actually slept together quiet often, but this is different. When they had gone to bed the previous night, Kise's futon had been laid out alongside Aomine's. They had been sleeping separately, yet in the morning, both of them rest on the edges facing each other. Although it could just be a coincidence, Kise thinks that it's sweet and romantic. He can't help but to smile despite being so flustered.

Aomine's hand rests close to his chest, and Kise grabs it gingerly with his own. Being like this is nice; Kise wishes they could do it more often.

Amber eyes glance up to his boyfriend's face curiously then. Seeing that the other is still asleep, Kise takes a deep breath and slowly shifts, lifting Aomine's arm as he cuddles closer back in to his boyfriend. It's warmer, lying like this, and Kise closes his eyes contentedly. He lets go of Aomine's hand, and immediately feels it wrap around his middle to pull him closer.

"A-Aominecchi?" Kise starts, stuttering from embarrassment. He's really glad that he's facing the opposite direction from his boyfriend; the blonde can only _imagine_ how red his face is. He hadn't known Aomine had been awake!

But Aomine doesn't respond, and when Kise glances over his shoulder at the other's face, he sees that Aomine is still breathing evenly and drooling a bit. It's a relief Kise hadn't been caught doing something so embarrassing, and he slowly lowers his head back on to the futon.

Since Aomine's not awake though—that means the action was subconscious, right? Kise smiles, and closes his eyes. It isn't until he hears giggling that he next awakes. At first, in his disconcerted state, all he notices is how Aomine's breath ghosts over the back of his neck, but then he sees a camera, and a flurry of giggling cousins.

Kise sits up quickly, utterly mortified and with a blush that the kids laugh at. Moments later, Aomine sits up as well, obviously still half-asleep, but looking pissed regardless. Another picture is taken, and Aomine barks at them to get out. They run away screaming, and Kise turns to look at his boyfriend in horror. All Aomine does is fall back to the futon though.

"_Aominecchi_!" Kise starts, but is stopped when suddenly he's pulled back down in to a lying position.

"_Kise_," Aomine drawls in a mocking fashion. It makes Kise glare, and when Aomine opens one eye to look at his expression, the bluenette smirks before sitting up and stretching. He yawns and stumbles from his futon with a call of, 'fine, fine,' as he exits the room. Kise can see as the other lifts his shirt to scratch his stomach, and then hears giggling from somewhere down the hall before Aomine's grinning and sprinting after them. The high-pitched screams mixed with his boyfriend's yelling makes the model laugh, and he can't help but think what a great father Aomine will be someday.

With a shake of his head and a soft chuckle, Kise checks the time on his phone that he had hidden beside his pillow. It's still early; maybe he'll be in time to help with breakfast!

Hurriedly, Kise heaves himself from the ground, and after one fall because he stumbles over the futon, he makes his way to one of the bathrooms in the complex. As he brushes his teeth, he idly inspects himself, turning this way and that to make sure Aomine hadn't left any noticeable marks the night before. It embarrasses him how he threw himself at his boyfriend—he's actually ashamed of himself, but it served its purpose, right? Kise sighs and spits out the residual foam from the toothpaste in to the sink, and runs his toothbrush beneath the faucet.

Before he starts his skin care regime, he tries offering himself a smile as he reassures himself that what he's doing is fine. Suddenly furthering Aomine and his intimate relationship is okay; even if he isn't necessarily ready for everything, he can still do something. It would have happened eventually, right?

Right.

With another deep breath, Kise turns his focus to washing his face. When Aomine sneaks in to the bathroom to join him, Kise forgets his earlier musings and greets his boyfriend brightly. Aomine slaps his ass in greeting, which makes Kise complain and quickly look back at the door to make sure they aren't being watched.

"We're fine. Relax." Aomine snickers before he starts brushing his teeth. Regardless of the reassurance, Kise remains a little antsy. Although Aomine's parents may approve of them, he knows that the rest of the family is in the dark about their relationship. Liberal of a family as they may be, Kise doesn't want to cause any drama by getting caught. If there's one thing Aomine and he are great at though—it's keeping secrets. With that sardonic thought, Kise sighs through his nose before glancing at his boyfriend from the corner of his eyes.

Deciding that it's okay, Kise presses his lips just above the other's jawline. Aomine shifts slightly at the feeling to try looking at him, and Kise chuckles at the scratch he feels against his lips. As he pulls away he says, "Aominecchi is all scruffy."

"Gotta shave." Aomine says around a mouthful of foam that he later spits in to the sink. As he rinses his toothbrush he turns to Kise with a raised brow and continues, "Someone sent me on a wild goose chase this morning, so I haven't had the chance."

"I wasn't complaining," Kise says with a flirty smile. This causes Aomine to smirk and attempt to kiss him, but Kise holds up his hands and lightly pushes the other back. He grins as he backs up and says, "I have a shoot tomorrow, Aominecchi! It wouldn't be good if I were to be all scratched up."

"Fucking tease," Aomine grunts with a roll of his eyes. It makes Kise laugh before he sees himself out of the bathroom and through the halls towards the kitchen. Some of the women he remembers from the previous day chat idly inside while preparing breakfast, and he greets them brightly with a call of, 'good morning!'

"Good morning, Kise-san! Were you able to sleep well?" One woman, Aomine's mom, asks. She purses her lips and holds up the knife she has in her hand. "Daiki didn't pester you, did he? Just let me know—"

"No, no." Kise laughs, "I slept very well, thank you. Aominecchi made sure I was comfortable."

"Aominecchi?" The women ask, looking to each other with raised brows before settling their attention back on to the model.

In response Kise flusters and laughs, "Sorry. I meant D-…Daiki…cchi."

The moment his boyfriend's first name passes through his lips, Kise feels unbearably hot. He just _knows_ his face is an unbecoming shade of red, but it makes the ladies coo and giggle to see him so embarrassed. Only Aomine's mother truly understands his embarrassment, but it's fine like that. He holds a hand to his face and laughs along with the group, and when they stop, asks if he can be of any help.

"Kise-san knows how to cook?" An aunt asks, eyes wide with surprise.

"Mhm. A friend of mine taught me a while back. I make bentos for Aominecchi all the time." Kise says proudly, but that pride is quick to disappear when he realizes that he's possibly given Aomine and himself away.

"That boy—so spoiled by his friends." Aomine's mom says, providing him with a perfect cover. Kise offers her a thankful smile that she nods her head at, before he's ushered in to the kitchen and asked to sit and peel apples.

While he does so, he engages in light conversation with everyone. They ask him about modeling, about if he's met certain designers and whatnot. They fret over his diet, going from commenting on how skinny he is and how he needs to eat more to how they should consider making lighter foods that won't make him bloat on the day of his shoot. With how they all talk over one another and banter back and forth, Kise finds himself grinning. The atmosphere is so easy here!

As he cuts another apple slice in to the shape of a rabbit and moves to put it on to a platter of other fruits, Kise jumps when suddenly Aomine leans over him and bends to bite it out of his fingers. The scare makes Kise laugh and hit his boyfriend lightly while complaining at him not to do that, while the women scold the bluenette for not waiting properly to eat like everyone else.

"I'm still growing; I need food." Aomine says, shifting around Kise so that he can sit on the table.

"You're too big already. Where'd that little boy that came up to my hip go? He was so cute!" One of Aomine's aunts says with a fake sniffle.

'Aominecchi is still cute!' Kise wants to say, but he returns to apple cutting instead. Since these people are so nice and open; it's harder to keep secrets from them compared to his own mother!

"He became a stud, that's what." Aomine's mom says, walking over to pinch her son's cheeks. Beneath her hold, Aomine yelps and complains that it hurts. It surprises Kise when his boyfriend's mom's wrists are slapped, and amber eyes turn to see a small elderly woman glare up at both Aomines.

"Don't you hurt my grandson, you hear?" The woman snaps, raising a finger in warning.

"Mom!" Aomine's mother complains. Meanwhile, Aomine laughs boisterously at how his mother gets lectured for 'hurting' her son, before he thanks his grandmother for the help. It's the sweetest scene in the world, and Kise smiles warmly—but then Aomine's grandmother gives the bluenette's thigh a firm slap, and that smile becomes a snort of laughter.

"Get off my table! Get out of the kitchen as well and go fetch me some mint from the garden for my tea." She says in a grouchy tone. For a moment Aomine whines about having one of the brats go do it, before he's being tugged to get off the table with the reminder that he's still a brat, himself. The older woman's actions don't do anything to make Aomine move, but Kise notes with a smile how his boyfriend relents with a sigh and lets himself be shoved away. It's then that the grandma's attention is turned to him; it makes Kise sit up a bit taller and smile as politely as he can.

"Daiki's girlfriend, if I recall correctly, yes? Good morning."

Behind him, there's muffled laughter. Kise stares at the older woman, mouth opening and closing as he figures out how to respond to that. Clearly the woman has a bad memory and is _blind_, because Kise _knows_ he didn't introduce himself as a girl the day prior; he doesn't even look like a girl! What is he supposed to do though? This grandma is ornery! She'd surely get mad at him if he were to correct her, right?

Unsurely, he glances back at the others in the kitchen. They all offer him a simultaneous gesture of telling him to say nothing. Kise turns back to Aomine's grandma with a practiced grin and says, "Good morning!"

When she leaves the kitchen while muttering about girls with too deep of voices, Kise hides his face in his hands. All the aunties think that he's embarrassed, but his shoulders only shake with laughter.

* * *

Talking with his boyfriend in privacy is an impossible task. It seems that at all hours Kise's time is occupied by someone else. Despite his jealousy, it's hard to be annoyed though. Kise is only busy because his family has taken a strong liking to the model, after all. The younger girls especially seem attracted to the blonde. Earlier they had sat in a row, braiding one another's hair before the television. After incessant begging, Kise had promised not to take some of the tinier braids they had put in to his hair out, so long as they promised to eat well at lunch.

The younger boys too take a liking to Aomine's boyfriend, and eagerly bring him bugs and lizards to look at, due to Kise's inability to go hunting with them. When Aomine isn't being asked to run errands by anyone, he's able to sit with the other for this, and nearly chokes on the water he drinks when one of the youngest boys brings over a worm. Kise freezes beside him, torn between screaming and playing it cool for the sake of the child before them, before a pathetic whimper escapes him. Aomine nearly pisses himself from laughing, and is promptly shoved off the raised platform they sit on.

It's evening now, just after dinner, and Kise sits in a large room again with the girls. Mothers sit around them cooing with their cameras, while Kise instructs them on how to do runway. There's idle chatter about if Kise will try runway when he's able to properly walk again; Kise beams at the thought, and says that he'd like to—that he'll definitely try his best to get booked for them by designers when the time comes.

Hearing that makes Aomine frown though. Modeling—Kise doesn't _actually_ enjoy it, right? It's just the second option because basketball isn't currently possible.

"Kise." Aomine calls, and the blonde looks over to where he's been standing. An easy smile spreads across the other's face, and Aomine motions with his head towards their side of the estate. "I need to talk to you."

The girls complain, but their moms chide them for monopolizing his friend. It's an appreciated reprimanding, on Aomine's part.

"Ah, thanks Aominecchi!" Kise sighs once they're a safe distance away. "They're really cute, but I just don't have the energy to keep up with them!"

"Stupid. You should have said something instead of waiting for me to get impatient." Aomine scoffs. "I do have to talk to you about something though."

"Me too, actually!" Kise says brightly. When they reach the area outside of their room they had used the night prior to talk though, Kise coughs and asks if they could possibly talk _in_ the room. Aomine tries not to think of the implications, but it all goes to Hell once they're safely hidden away and are making out on their futons.

How they got there, Aomine doesn't really care, because when he inches his hand up Kise's shirt, he isn't met with refusal. Instead, Kise pulls him closer, kisses him harder. Aomine's fingers brush over the model's nipple, and when he pinches, Kise moans. The sound alone leaves Aomine hornier than he ever remembers when he was with a girl, and against his will, his body rocks down on to Kise. The friction warms his whole body, feels so damn _amazing_ that he doesn't want to stop, but Kise turns his head away and pushes up against his chest.

"W-wait," His boyfriend says breathlessly.

"S-sorry. Sorry." Aomine apologizes, fist clenching beside Kise's head as he forces his body not to move. It's challenging, because Kise's face is so close, and he looks so fucking _lewd_ right now. All Aomine wants to do is get himself off, but Kise said to stop, so he will.

"It's—tomorrow. My mom had booked a suite at a hot spring for her and me for tomorrow, but she can't come. So we—" Kise says, fumbling over words as he tries to piece together thoughts and put them in to sentences.

"Yeah." Aomine says through a gasp.

_Fuck_ yeah.

* * *

So, Aomine is an idiot. He can see that now, just like he can see how driven Kise is about modeling—_and_ about teasing him.

The things Kise can do with that pretty face of his drives Aomine insane. At first he had been amazed at how quickly his boyfriend could filter through emotions—how Kise could change his expression on command, but now? Now, Aomine is just losing his mind, because Kise knows that Aomine is watching, and takes full advantage of that fact.

When asked to look sensual by the photographer, Kise will push farther than should probably be allowed for an artistic shoot like the one he's partaking in. The model is all long limbs and voluptuous arches; half-lidded amber eyes turn to look at him, and Kise tilts his head just so to catch the morning rays of the sun before a small, coy smile tugs at one side of Kise's lips.

It's almost like his boyfriend is providing him with a private show, with how provocatively slow and fluid the other shifts. Thin fingers trail slowly up a long leg, dragging the silky material of the kimono Kise wears for the shoot to expose a creamy thigh. That sight makes Aomine look away quickly with a blush, and he runs his hand over his face in exasperation.

Damn it, he doesn't know what's gotten in to Kise lately, but he's _loving it_. Ever since the night Kise first arrived, everything has been heated and distractingly fun. It's not like they haven't made out before—they have, but what they've been doing is so much less tamed compared to what usually happens in his apartment. Maybe it's because of last night, but Aomine is receiving provocative promises of the future. It takes all he has to keep his mind from wandering; suddenly getting a boner wouldn't bode well for either he or his boyfriend.

But _fuck_, with how Kise is teasing him, it's impossible. Damn boyfriend is doing this on purpose! Or—Kise had better be. The bluenette actually has no prior experience to compare to, but Kise couldn't possibly be this erotic at every shoot, right? But what if Kise is? 'Shit,' Aomine inwardly groans, making a displeased face, 'He probably is; that idiot.'

There's a twinge of jealousy and possessiveness that he feels then, and he grumbles under his breath about other models and erections and how going away to college is probably way too dangerous now that he knows what Kise's work is like.

At the thought of college, Aomine pauses. He still hasn't mentioned anything to Kise yet, has he? This makes him frown, because the bluenette knows that he's been actively trying to sit Kise down to have the talk. Every time he gets ready to do so though, the blonde suddenly gets rambunctious and wants to make out. Who's Aomine to deny his boyfriend?

'Ah, excuses,' He sighs, but what can he do? Aomine is seventeen and horny, and after _months_ the person that he wants to do everything with seems ready. What kind of guy can turn that down? Not him, that's for sure.

'Wait,' He pauses, eyes widening as he realizes something he hadn't considered at all until now. 'Isn't that what I'll be doing for four years, when I leave?'

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Aomine's gaze drops; he almost feels like crying. Being apart from Kise is already going to be hard enough, but if he gets to feel that body, _taste_ it like he's dreamed for months, how will he be able to tear himself away so suddenly? Will it even be possible? Curse his touch-starved body!

A loud sigh pulls its way past his lips, and Aomine runs a hand through his hair before pacing this way and that. The cons for leaving to America have just increased; no boyfriend and no physical contact with said boyfriend—Aomine wonders how he can even consider leaving. In addition to being apart from Kise, he'll be away from his friends, his family, and everything that makes life _comfortable_. It's not like he can't play basketball in Japan; he's received scholarships, so why not stay?

Kise falls down, unable to support himself on his leg, before laughing and picking himself back up. Blue eyes lower to look at the ground, and his lips pull in to a thin line.

It's because he wants to be challenged, and that's not something he can be if he stays. Leaving for that kind of reason though—it's so _selfish_. Aomine can't help himself though; he loves basketball.

And Kise would understand that.

But what Kise wouldn't understand is how much Aomine loves him as well—that basketball and Kise both share the same significance to him. Without a doubt, the idiot would deny this, would claim that the bluenette is just spewing nonsense and that Kise doesn't compare at _all_, but he _does_.

That moron; if Aomine were to bring up the scholarship, Kise would probably just _let_ the breakup happen with some stupid reason like, 'I don't want to hold Aominecchi back,' or 'Aominecchi should only worry about basketball!' Bull shit. Like Aomine would let that happen; he refuses!

It's not like he's ever been on the fence about dating Kise, but after these couple days with his boyfriend, and watching the other interact with his family—he's realized just how precious Kise is to him. How Kise plays with the kids, or helps the women of the family with cooking, and how Kise actively listens to even the most boring of stories by the elder members of his family. Kise fits in to his life seamlessly; he can't give him up so easily.

But… _basketball_.

"Ugh," Aomine groans. Why can't he just have everything?

* * *

'Why can't I just have everything?' Kise thinks to himself with a sigh. As he thinks more about the matter of Aomine and basketball, Kise becomes more and more anxious. Slowly, he sinks down in to the water of the small, private hot spring outside of Aomine and his suite. Once his mouth is submerged, Kise blows bubbles through it as he contemplates.

There's no way Kise can stay trouble Aomine with a long distance relationship if the other goes away to college. Kise supposes he could follow the bluenette, but the truth is that he doesn't want to. It's his entire _life_ that he would be leaving behind: family, friends, work. Aomine is a large part of Kise's world, but what if something were to happen? What if he went away with Aomine, and later grew to resent his boyfriend? Kise's not sure he could live with that.

"Model-kun will get wrinkles if he keeps furrowing his brows like that." Aomine hums, stepping in to the bath beside him. It makes Kise start because he hadn't realized the other had been there, and he gracelessly chokes on the water he had partially hidden his face in.

"Aominecchi, don't startle me like that!" Kise complains lightly, splashing the other with some water.

"Don't be so spacey then." Aomine scoffs, ignoring the blonde's childish action in favor of throwing his arm behind Kise to rest against the rocks. It's a casual gesture, and Kise snuggles back until he's able to feel the other's skin against his back.

They settle in to a comfortable silence, each taking advantage of the rare opportunity before them to relax. On occasion they'll say something to one another. Despite the warm water, Kise shivers at the husky drawl to his boyfriend's voice when he speaks. It's like whenever Aomine wakes up or feels frisky and Kise _really_ likes it.

"Is Aominecchi ready for Interhigh?" Kise asks offhandedly.

"Yeah." Aomine murmurs.

"Don't hurt yourself this year, okay?" Kise hums, serious despite his joking tone of voice.

"Shut up." Aomine scoffs, using the arm he has rested behind Kise to nudge him forward. The other's embarrassment makes the model laugh, before he looks to his boyfriend with a subtle pleading expression. Really—the last thing Kise wants is for Aomine to hurt himself by pushing his body too far, as the bluenette is prone to doing. With college basketball around the corner, it wouldn't do for Aomine to injure himself in any way. Seeing his concern, Aomine sighs and ruffles his hair, "I'll be careful, okay?"

"I'll be watching, so Aominecchi had better be." Kise says with a bright smile.

"If that's the case I may be tempted to show off more." Aomine snickers. "Impress my boyfriend and all, you know?"

"Eh?" Kise drawls, turning to face the other. He pouts and pokes at Aomine's abdomen through the water. Kise begins to chuckle as he spreads his hand over the power forward's muscled stomach and rubs, "I'm impressed by Aominecchi every day!"

In response, Aomine raises a brow and smirks in amusement. Pretending to be affronted, the bluenette scoffs, "You only like me for my body."

"It's nice!" Kise laughs, running his hand up the other's chest until it rests a top Aomine's shoulder. "Really _really_ nice, Aominecchi!"

"Ah, I only like you for your face anyways. Guess that makes us even." Aomine says with a snort. In turn, Kise pouts at him. It makes Aomine snicker, and he leans forward to kiss his boyfriend's forehead. Kise smiles at this, but it drops when his boyfriend continues, "Can I talk to you about something?"

No. No no no no _no_.

"Of course. What's up?" Kise asks, the picture of calm. Inside though, he's a mess. His heart beats quickly, and he feels short of breath.

"It's about after high school." Aomine starts. For a moment, the bluenette lapses in to silence, before blue eyes focus on him. Aomine's brows furrow as he says, "I got a schol—Kise!?"

Selfish. Kise can't believe how unbearably selfish he's being. Regardless, he plays a role to avoid hearing what his boyfriend has to say. Kise feigns being overheated, and sways dangerously while slinking in to the water. It makes his boyfriend panic and hurriedly pull him from the bath. Being carried out while they're both still naked makes Kise blush, but it only serves to better his lie. With how quickly he can feel Aomine's heart beating, he knows the other is too panicked to even notice.

Eventually, he's laid out in their room and a light robe is thrown over him for modesty's sake. For a moment Aomine shuffles around, before the model feels himself being fanned.

"Kise? You okay?" Aomine asks.

Suddenly shy, Kise peeks one of his eyes open to make sure that his boyfriend is decent before opening both of them slowly. He offers Aomine a weak smile and apology, to which the other scoffs. "Don't be stupid," Aomine says before he leaves the room. While he's away, Kise slips on the robe that was thrown over him before Aomine returns with cold water that he places on the floor and a cool cloth that he plops on to Kise's face. Aomine continues, "If you were feeling overheated, you should have said something!"

"Sorry," Kise breathes.

"It's fine. Just—don't scare me like that again, idiot." Aomine sighs as he starts to fan the model again. "I don't know what I'd do if something were to happen to you."

It's a thoughtless comment, and yet Kise's heart skips a beat. He's glad for the towel covering his face. Right now, the blonde knows that his expression is ugly, a mixture of happiness and guilt. There's nothing to feel guilty over though, Kise tries to reassure himself. He hasn't done anything wrong. There's nothing wrong with wanting his boyfriend to _stay with him_.

When he sits up, Aomine fumbles over words as he attempts to tell him to lie back down. Instead of doing as he's told though, Kise leans forward for a kiss. It's feather light, and betrays the surety in his own feelings, but it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter because Aomine loves anything that Kise gives him—Kise _knows_ this. Aomine won't notice how Kise falters, because his boyfriend is mesmerized by any intimacy with him.

Despite not knowing how to seduce another person, Kise turns on the charm and drops his head slightly in order to look up at the other through long lashes. They flutter lightly over his cheeks as Kise runs his tongue over and then bites his lower lip.

He can see how Aomine is already hooked.

Kise feels disgusted by himself.

'Stop, stop, stop,' Something inside of him says, but he doesn't listen. Stopping won't keep Aomine with him; Kise needs to do this—it's his only option, isn't it? Because Aomine likes this; Kise can feel it from the way he's kissed, can hear it with every grunt and moan that passes through his boyfriend's lips as they rut against one another. Aomine likes this, so if Kise gives it to him, he'll have to want to stay, won't he?

Before Aomine can think to touch him, Kise traces his hand down Aomine's chest—lower, lower until he pauses. 'Are you sure?' Aomine asks him, blue eyes eager and smile bright.

No.

Kise pastes a smile on his face and continues, wrapping his hand unsurely around Aomine's erection. The bluenette gasps and Kise nearly withdraws, but then he's coaxed in to continuing as he's kissed. Aomine breathes against his neck that Kise's hand is cold, and Kise laughs nervously because he doesn't know what else to do.

Giving his boyfriend a hand job isn't nearly as bad as Kise had thought it might have been. It's because of how Aomine responds to his touch—how Kise makes Aomine feel _good_ just like how Aomine makes him feel just by being by his side. It makes Kise happy, _agonizingly _happy. It's scary though.

Through stuttered breaths Aomine tries to warn him that he's close, yet when the other comes Kise still gasps from surprise. Amber eyes stare at his hand, covered in come and trembling against his will.

When Aomine tries reaching out to touch him in return, Kise shifts, closing his legs and looking to the floor. A blush stains his cheeks, and Aomine asks if he's all right.

"I—um. I already—" Kise says in an embarrassed voice, offering the other a quick glance before he looks away and raises one of his shoulders. "Sorry."

The laugh that spills from Aomine's lips makes Kise's breath catch. His boyfriend is _glowing_ now, and it's because of _Kise_. The model smiles and laughs along, before they lapse in to a comfortable silence and simply look at each other.

"Doesn't Aominecchi want to wash off?" Kise asks eventually.

"Basking in the afterglow here." The bluenette snickers. "You go ahead."

Kise smiles tenderly at the other before excusing himself. Once in the bathroom, he washes his hands and turns on the shower. Instead of stepping inside though, Kise sits on the toilet, still clothed in his robe. For a moment he stares at the wall, before he leans forward at the waist and buries his head in his hands. Kise bites his lip harshly, and pulls his hair to stop his hands from shaking.

He hadn't gotten hard at all.

* * *

In hindsight, making out at midmorning wasn't the best of ideas. No matter how romantic it may have been with them standing at the koi pond in the garden, it just wasn't smart. How can Aomine help himself though, when Kise had been feeding the fish and smiling and being as beautiful as he always is?

Ever since their trip to the hot spring, Aomine has become more comfortable. It's great that his body isn't as tense, but what matters most to him is the newfound confidence he has with Kise and his relationship. Months ago Kise had been unsure about everything intimate, but now? Now Aomine is being given hand jobs and even the occasional blow. The memory of Kise's first time blowing him makes him snort in amusement and turns him on simultaneously. The model had choked, and by the end of it neither of them had gotten off and Kise had to explain his hoarse voice to his mother upon receiving an unexpected call.

Aomine digresses. What matters is how Kise _trusts_ him. This step in their relationship—it's huge. It came from patience, trust… maybe love, though Aomine doesn't want to be so bold as to assume. He can admit that he feels quiet a bit of that now though, as he stares at the drenched form of his boyfriend who sits in the koi pond.

The blonde will be leaving in a few hours; it will be their last morning together during their break. Unable to help himself, Aomine had pulled Kise aside for some private time, but of course they had been interrupted. In a panic, Aomine had instinctively pushed Kise away, not realizing until he heard a splash that they had been standing on the bridge crossing the pond.

Amber eyes stare at him in shock, while Aomine laughs. He offers the model a hand while apologizing, paying no mind to the scolding of his aunts behind him.

Instead of pulling Kise out of the water though, Aomine is pulled in. There's another loud splash, and Aomine sputters when he pulls his face from the pond. "Damn pretty boy," He complains with a grin.

Pictures are taken, and some of his younger cousins hop in to join his boyfriend and him. It's fun, but eventually they're reminded of Kise's train, and they're forced to continue about their mornings.

"Oh! I forgot to grab my bag from the room." Kise starts, looking back up the stairs they had began climbing down.

"I'll go get it." Aomine says, already climbing back up towards the complex. He gives instructions to his family to make sure Kise gets down safely before he jogs away to his room. Kise's bag remains where they had left it, and he quickly grabs it before hurrying back to the stairs so that he can help his boyfriend. Great as his family may be, the thought of them holding on to the model to help him down the steep steps annoys the shit out of him.

"Daiki!"

"What mom?" Aomine asks, coming to a sudden halt so that he can properly face his mother. She stands some ways behind him, holding a prescription bottle. Her brows furrow as she looks over the label, before she holds it out for him to take. Curiously, he walks over and does so, looking over the bottle carefully. Nothing makes much sense, so he looks up to his mother who sends him a worried expression.

"What?" Aomine asks, searching for a place to put the prescription in his boyfriend's luggage. "They're painkillers. For his leg."

Blue eyes widen in surprise. Aomine's mother opens her lips to say something, but pauses as if she reconsiders. Zealously, Aomine glances towards the stairs. Kise probably hasn't gotten far yet; catching up shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully he'll be able to get his family to leave at the station so that he can have a bit more time with Kise.

"Daiki…those aren't pain killers." His mother says.

"Of course they are. Kise told me so; he's been taking them every day." Aomine says, offering his mother an expression as if he's questioning her judgment. Really—shouldn't psychiatrists know their drugs?

"Dear, these are antidepressants."

Aomine's world comes to a screeching halt.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter 22 concludes! I apologize again for the wait, everyone. Thank you for your patience and for reading though. Hopefully you all enjoyed this chapter! There was quite a bit of drama this chapter… it will get worse once confrontations are had. ;)_

_Anyways, thank you again everyone for your support. I really appreciate it; everyone is seriously the best. ;U; If you have the time or feel an inclination, please leave a review and let me know what you thought! It's great to read everyone's opinion (utterly motivating too, you beautiful people). (:_


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